“Runs in the Family” Is Ready for the Screen — Netflix, Apple TV+, Are You Listening?
Part sports memoir, part emotional odyssey, Runs in the Family by Deland McCullough and ESPN’s Sarah Spain is the kind of deeply human, richly layered story that begs for a film or limited series adaptation. Whether on Netflix, Apple TV+, or even Prime Video, this true story has the heart, drama, and emotional payoff to move audiences far beyond the football field.
Raised in a troubled household in Youngstown, Ohio, McCullough’s life was shaped by the quiet weight of adoption. Told at age seven and then left without answers, the emotional silence surrounding his origins cast a shadow that lingered even as he pushed forward—first as a college and professional football player, then as a respected coach for the Kansas City Chiefs and Notre Dame.
What sets this memoir apart—and what would translate beautifully to the screen—is its emotional depth. Beneath the highlight reels and gridiron grit lies a man reckoning with rejection, identity, and the quiet ache of not knowing. The climax arrives not on the field, but in a revelation decades in the making: a conversation with his adoptive mother that launches a cross-country search for the truth and a heart-stirring reconnection with his biological family.
With thoughtful narration, emotional nuance, and a structure that blends personal history with high-stakes sports, Runs in the Family has all the hallmarks of a gripping streaming drama—think King Richard meets This Is Us, with the emotional pacing of Friday Night Lights.
This is more than just a sports story—it’s a universal tale of love, identity, and second chances. A story just waiting for the right studio to tell it.
Genre: Nonfiction/Biographies & Memoirs
