Is Invincible based on a true story?

Sports films can often offer an escape from the reality of life, and there isn’t a production more fitting to that description than the 2006 classic ‘Invincible’. But, is it based on a true story?

Vince Papale is a name that runs through the NFL folklore, even though his professional career lasted only two years.

Rarely do you see a human reach 30 years of age with their sporting career still in front of them. Papale’s story was a heart-warming one, in which the human kindness and tactical acumen of Dick Vermeil offers a substitute teacher a chance on the big stage.

It’s easy for younger viewers to watch the film, based on events in 1976, and not realize it is a true story. However, the film, which starred Mark Wahlberg, had a lasting impact on the sports film genre, even if some of the details are disputed to this day.

What is 'Invincible'?

As a film, Invincible looks at the brief, but impactful, NFL career of Vince Papale. Papale was a 30-year-old substitute teacher who is not able to provide for his family financially.

When his wife discovers the extent of his financial problems, she berates him and subsequently leaves him. What happens next would be scarcely believable if it were not, in fact, the truth.

Dick Vermeil is appointed as the new head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles. After a successful college coaching career, Vermeil is tasked with turning the ailing NFL franchise around.

He immediately viewed his roster as weak and decided to try and improve it immediately with open tryouts in the Philadelphia area. With nothing to lose in the absence of his wife, Papale goes for a tryout and ends up impressing the rookie NFL coach.

Rocky, as he is affectionately called in the film, ends up being invited to training camp with the Eagles.

Vermeil is desperate to turn the culture of his team around, and believes someone with nothing to lose and everything to gain will provide a platform for other players on his roster.

Papale continues to impress and ends up winning a spot on the Eagles’ roster for the start of the 1976 NFL season. Only his debut game against the New York Giants is featured in the film, but Rocky’s career in the NFL would last all the way until 1978.

He and coach Vermeil’s paths are parallel. As the coach turns his team into a successful, talented group, Papale’s personal life improves and he ends up getting married and playing in a Super Bowl.

How did Vince Papale feel about ‘Invincible’?

Unlike other sporting films based on true events, the person at the center of the tale in 'Invincible' actually enjoyed the film. Papale forged a strong bond with Wahlberg during the filming of the production and the two remain close.

The former Philadelphia Eagles player rarely speaks directly about the film, especially with it having been released just under two decades ago. But he was on board with the project.

His own son, Vincent Jr., was given a cameo role in the film, whilst his father worked on the project as an advisor.

The family were very much in favor of the film and the direction it took when telling Vince’s story.

“To have a relationship and friendship with a guy like Mark, to me, is very special and very important. The original script didn’t have my dad written into it. How could my dad not be in there? He was such an important part of everything. We were best friends. They then wrote my dad into the script. People ask me if I had anything to do with the script, and that was really the only thing.”

Invincible remains an inspiring account of one of the NFL’s more moving stories. Whilst unlikely to be repeated in the modern era, it showed that with hard work and the right mentor, anyone with talent could make the big leagues.

As far as sporting movies go, this is one of the better ones and it helps that Vince Papale was totally on board with the project and was delighted by its impact.