Why the change? Well, the Jets were reportedly all set to be a part of the movie before pulling out just days before shooting began. Apparently, the reason for the last-minute audible noise was due to the team’s real-life trading drama; while the plot of draft day involving a much-hyped young quarterback, the Jets had just drafted a rookie QB, Geno Smith, to ass-fumbler incumbent Mark Sanchez, and the pair became “engaged in a quarterback fight.”
As Reitman told the press at the time, The Jets “had some kind of a quarterback dispute, and the team said this will only incite our fans more to criticize us, even if it’s all fictional.” So rather than risk angering fans who might think a movie starring the Water world guy was somehow a documentary, the team dropped production, and Reitman used a “personal connection” with the Seahawks to get them to fill in.
Fortunately, this never happened in any other Kevin Costner movies – it would have been a real shame to see him playing baseball with the ghosts of the Colorado Rockies.
You (yes, you) should follow JM on Twitter (if it still exists by the time you read this).
Sign up for the Cracked newsletter
Get the best of Cracked straight to your inbox!