John David Washington is the son of two-time Academy Award winner Denzel Washington. He also played professional football as a runningback for the St. Louis Rams in the NFL and in the defunct United Football League. He is an alumnus of Morehouse College, where he was also a star player on the football team.
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson was the only choice for the lead.
According to attorney Michael C. Donaldson, the show is able to use NFL logos and likenesses without the NFL's consent, so long as they don't tarnish the league's image.
Roger Goodell, commissioner of the NFL, has tried to prevent several NFL players from appearing on this show.
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson lost almost twenty pounds for the role.