The trailer for ‘The Object of the Game’ features interviews with Bill Belichick, Roger Goodell, Urban Meyer, and countless other football greats.
In his 40 years as head football coach at Saint Ignatius High School, Chuck Kyle influenced countless lives. This impact was not limited to his players but extended to all those who observed and respected him over the years.
A documentary has been created to tell the story of “Chico” and his profound influence on the sport. Recently, Zodiac Features unveiled a trailer for a film titled “The Object of the Game,” inspired by a book co-authored by Kyle and Mark Hodermarsky 27 years ago.
The trailer showcases snippets from interviews with numerous football legends. Many of these individuals were not directly associated with Saint Ignatius but still acknowledge the enduring influence of Kyle’s coaching and mentorship. Notable figures include:
- Legendary NFL coach Bill Belichick
- NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell
- College Football Hall of Fame coach Urban Meyer
- Pro Football Hall of Famer and Browns great Joe Thomas
- Former All-Pro running back and two-time Ohio Mr. Football winner Robert Smith
- Former All-Pro quarterback and NFL broadcaster Tony Romo
- Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay
“I’ve admired Coach Chico from a distance,” Goodell said. “When I heard about the influence he’s had on the young men that player for him — not really just the success that he’s had, but really how he’s impacted their lives — it was important for us to reach out and acknowledge the great contributions he’s made to football on every level and thank him for that effort.”
From 1983-2022, Kyle led the Wildcats to 353 wins, a record 11 OHSAA Division I state championships, and four national titles. A long list of his players went on to notable careers in college and the NFL, and in 2023, ex-wide receiver and defensive back Jonathan Gannon was named head coach of the Arizona Cardinals.
When he was introduced as the Cards’ new leader, Gannon gave a special shoutout to Kyle and “The Object of the Game,” which he called “a manual that you can take anywhere and get a team running the right way.” To Gannon and so many others, the lessons laid out in that book have been key in guiding their own journeys, for Kyle’s mission is not just about victories on the field, but triumphs off it it, as well.
“We all have chapters in our life, and some of those chapters are longer than others. Some are evolving, some are dissolving, and the lessons learned from competitive athletics are life lessons,” Belichick, who served as head coach of the Browns from 1991-95 during Chico’s tenure with Saint Ignatius, told filmmakers. “I want to continue to honor that, to recognize it, to give back to it.”
The trailer ends with Kyle’s speech to his Wildcats team before his final regular-season home game in October 2022. Even with thousands of people there to pay tribute to him, Kyle wanted the moment to be about the kids, who stood listening to his inspirational words one more time.
“I’m going to sit there and enjoy this. You know what I’m going to enjoy? Watching you love this game, watching you have passion about it,” Kyle told his players. “Passion — things get done in this world when you have passion. That’s what we are.”
Kyle, a devoted Saint Ignatius alum, was inducted into the National High School Football Hall of Fame in 2024. A release date for the documentary film has not been announced.
Watch Chuck Kyle’s 2022 sit-down interview with the late Jim Donovan prior to Kyle’s retirement:
