Signing Tony Raymond


Signing Tony Raymond is a 2025 American sports comedy-drama film written and directed by Glen Owen. The film stars Michael Mosley, Mira Sorvino, Rob Morgan, and former NFL players Marshawn Lynch and Brian Bosworth. The story follows a college football coach who travels to rural Alabama to recruit a top high school prospect, only to encounter eccentric locals and a dysfunctional family.
The film premiered at the Austin Film Festival on October 24th, 2025, and was released in the United States by Iconic Events Releasing on January 16, 2026.

Plot

Walt McFadden, a talented but overlooked assistant coach at Louisiana University, is given a make-or-break assignment by his head coach, Crew Marshall. To save his job and secure a promotion, Walt must travel to rural Alabama and sign the nation's number one high school defensive end, Tony Raymond. Armed with a bag of cash for a NIL deal, Walt arrives in town only to find himself out of his depth.
He faces immediate competition from a frenzy of rival recruiters and must navigate the demands of Tony's wildly dysfunctional family, including his formidable mother Sandra and stepfather Otis, who seems more interested in the recruitment money than his stepson's future. As Walt struggles to locate the elusive Tony, he encounters various local characters, including Eugene Ledford, and discovers that the values of the game he loves may be getting lost in the business of winning.

Cast

Production

Development

The film was written and directed by Glen Owen, a University of Georgia alumnus and former basketball player. The project was produced by Southern Isles Pictures, State Line Films, and Point South Productions with financing entirely raised in Georgia. Champ Bailey, a Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, served as an executive producer on the film.

Filming

Principal photography took place in Georgia, which stood in for the film's setting in the Deep South.

Release

Signing Tony Raymond held its world premiere at the Austin Film Festival in Austin, TX, on October 24th, 2025. It received a limited theatrical release in the United States on January 16, 2026, distributed by Iconic Events Releasing.

Reception

Pre-release promotional material highlighted the film's satirical take on the modern college recruitment process and the name, image, and likeness era of NCAA sports. Film Threat noted the ensemble cast's "authentic charisma" in portraying the world of high-stakes football recruitment.
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 82% of 11 critics' reviews are positive.