Kevin James and Taylor Lautner are teaming up in their new film Home Team to pull a struggling Pop Warner football team out of the gutter.
The 56-year-old King Of Queens star and the 29-year-old Twilight heartthrob star together in the first trailer for the film, which was released Tuesday by Netflix.
James stars as real-life New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton, who spent time coaching his son’s football team after he was suspended from the NFL for participating in the team’s scheme to pay players for injuring members of opposing teams.
True story: Kevin James, 56, stars as real-life New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton in the first trailer for Netflix’s comedy Home Team, also starring Taylor Lautner, 29
James is seen at the start of the trailer as he’s on top of the world after winning the 2009 Super Bowl with the Saints.
But his triumph turns to disgrace after he receives some bad news from NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.
‘Hey Coach, Mr. Goo-doll is on the phone,’ Payton’s assistant (played by Saturday Night Live star Chloe Fineman) tells him, while mispronouncing Goodell’s name.
‘Roger Goodell’s on the phone? The commissioner?’ Payton asks, shocked.
‘He didn’t say what his job was,’ she replies with a perfect deadpan.
Super Bowl winner: James is seen at the start of the trailer as he’s on top of the world after winning the 2009 Super Bowl with the Saints
Uh oh: But his triumph turns to disgrace after he receives some bad news from NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. ‘Hey Coach, Mr. Goo-doll is on the phone,’ Payton’s assistant (SNL’s Chloe Fineman) tells him, while mispronouncing Goodell’s name
Having a laugh: ‘Roger Goodell’s on the phone? The commissioner?’ Payton asks, shocked. ‘He didn’t say what his job was,’ she replies with a perfect deadpan
The call is bad news for the coach, who is suspended from the league ‘for a full year.’
In reality, Payton received his suspension because of the team’s bounty scandal, in which a slush fund was created to pay players bonuses when they were able to injury members of the opposing teams, forcing them out of the game.
Payton was suspended after an NFL investigation for having knowledge of the bounty program, which was mentioned in emails sent to him, as well as for opting not to end it after he learned that the team was under investigation.
Although he appealed the suspension, it was upheld by Goodell, and Payton opted to coach his son’s team in Argyle, Texas, while he was forced to be away from the Saints.
He’s out: The call is bad news for the coach, who is suspended from the league ‘for a full year’
Dirty dealing: In reality, Payton was suspended for a Saints scheme to pay players bonuses for injuring members of other teams. An NFL investigation determined he had knowledge of the scheme and opted not to end it, though he appealed the decision
In the trailer, James’ version of Payton gets some surprised looks from his Adam Sandler’s wife Jackie Sandler, who appears to be playing his ex-wife.
‘Sean, what are you doing here?’
‘I just came to watch my son play football,’ he says tersely.
But the team is clearly struggling, even though Payton’s son appears to be gifted.
‘You played a great game out there,’ he tells his son and his ex after the game.
‘We lost zero to 40,’ he son shoots back.
‘You can’t help it if all your teammates are horrible,’ he says, before feeling embarrassed as another player walks past them.
‘He was good too! A couple of good guys,’ he shouts to save face.
Surprise: In the trailer, James’ version of Payton gets some surprised looks from his Adam Sandler’s wife Jackie Sandler, who appears to be playing his ex-wife, as she’s surprised to see him at their son’s game
Poor performance: ‘I just came to watch my son play football,’ he says tersely. But the team is clearly struggling, even though Payton’s son appears to be gifted
Pep talk: ‘You played a great game out there,’ he tells his son and his ex after the game. ‘We lost zero to 40,’ he son shoots back
Awkward! ‘You can’t help it if all your teammates are horrible,’ he says, before feeling embarrassed as another player walks past them. ‘He was good too! A couple of good guys,’ he shouts to save face
One of the sixth graders describes the them as ‘the worst team in the league,’ and Lautner, who plays the head coach on the team, asks for help coaching from Payton over beers.
‘They need some motivation,’ he says, before adding that ‘being Sean Payton’s son isn’t easy.’
To emphasize how bad the team is, Lautner sees one of the kids on the team ordering a pizza from the field.
‘Hell yeah I want stuffed crust! What kind of a question is that,’ he says while ordering.
Then he tells Payton that it might be ‘easier’ for the team if he was on the field with them every day.
Calling in the experts: Lautner, who plays the head coach on the team, asks for help coaching from Payton over beers. ‘They need some motivation,’ he says, before adding that ‘being Sean Payton’s son isn’t easy’
In sorry shape: To emphasize how bad the team is, Lautner sees one of the kids on the team ordering a pizza from the field. ‘Hell yeah I want stuffed crust! What kind of a question is that,’ he says while ordering
Payton decides to take up the job, but he has a tough road ahead. One of the children on the team runs out of bounds to avoid being tackled, while another gets hit in the backside by his teammate during a failed field goal attempt.
During a practice montage, the coach tries to inspire the team with tails of his then-quarterback Drew Brees.
‘You guys know what Drew Brees does?’ he asked. ‘When everybody else has gone home, Drew stays on the field to see what he could have done better. That’s how you become great.’
But even as the team is getting stronger, Payton’s son admits that he doesn’t ‘know’ his father because they’ve spent so much time apart due to his career.
Amateurs: Payton takes the job, but he has a tough road ahead. One of the kids on the team runs out of bounds to avoid being tackled, and another gets hit in the backside during a failed field goal attempt
A legend: During a practice montage, the coach tries to inspire the team with tails of his then-quarterback Drew Brees
Harsh words: But even as the team is getting stronger, Payton’s son admits that he doesn’t ‘know’ his father because they’ve spent so much time apart due to his career
The trailer concludes with an appearance from James’ friend and regular collaborator Rob Schneider, whose character announces that he has perfected the ‘perfect energy bar.’
The players on the team all appear to try the bars on the bus ride to their game, but the formula seems to have been tainted, as they comically vomit all over the opposing team.
Home Team will be available to stream for Netflix subscribers starting January 28, 2022.
Guest appearance: The trailer concludes with an appearance from James’ friend and regular collaborator Rob Schneider, whose character announces that he has perfected the ‘perfect energy bar’
Gross out: The players on the team all appear to try the bars on the bus ride to their game, but the formula seems to have been tainted, as they comically vomit all over the opposing team
Coming soon: Home Team will be available to stream for Netflix subscribers starting January 28, 2022