“Pain heals. Chicks dig scars. Glory lasts forever.”
Those famous words of inspiration come courtesy of a renowned quarterback whose last name starts with an F and who is affiliated with the Baltimore Ravens.
No, we’re not talking about Joe Flacco but Shane Falco, played by actor Keanu Reeves in the 2000 football film The Replacements. Whether you’re a fan of Keanu’s acting catalogue or not — like his roles as Neo in the The Matrix, John Wick in the John Wick series, or former college football quarterback turned FBI agent Johnny Utah in Point Break — one thing that is undeniable is the actor’s considerable on-screen presence. In other words, it’s difficult to imagine anyone else portraying any of the aforementioned roles in those films other than Keanu Reeves, with his portrayal of the inspiring, fictional underdog quarterback for the Washington Sentinels in The Replacements being no exception to the rule.
Apparently, Keanu’s portrayal of Falco in The Replacements convinced not only audiences across the globe, but the coaching staff and front office of the Baltimore Ravens at the time as well, who were allegedly impressed by Keanu’s footwork, throwing arm and poise in the pocket.
While The Replacements was filmed in Baltimore, Keanu is an athletic dude, and professional training staff members work with actors to prepare them for movie roles — surely Keanu Reeves trying out for the Baltimore Ravens is clickbait farce dreamt up by one of Keanu’s PR agents during a drunken night of revelry — a sick joke, right?
Not according to ESPN NFL Insider and Draft Analyst Matt Miller.
βI leave you with this: Keanu Reeves was offered a tryout at QB with the #Ravens while filming The Replacements,” Miller said on his Twitter/X account. Miller followed up in the comments section by saying, “True story. 100%.”
Keanu Reeves slinging frozen ropes to Todd Heap, Derrick Mason or Anquan Boldin? Surely stranger things have happened. And we’re sure some Ravens fans would have preferred to see Keanu throwing to those revered Ravens receivers over Kyle Boller.
Do you believe the story that Keanu Reeves was so convincing as quarterback in The Replacements that the Baltimore Ravens offered him a tryout? Does this also mean by proxy that Annabelle Farrell, played by the beautiful Brooke Langton, who was Shane Falco’s love interest in The Replacements, could’ve been a Baltimore Ravens cheerleader? Let us know in the comments.
