In a move that’s sure to captivate college football fans and history buffs alike, Netflix has officially announced the release date for its highly anticipated documentary series chronicling the life and legacy of Paul “Bear” Bryant — one of the most revered figures in the history of American sports. The series, titled BEAR, will premiere globally on September 12, 2025, offering an emotional, in-depth look at the legendary Alabama Crimson Tide coach who forever changed the game of college football.
Produced in collaboration with ESPN Films and directed by Emmy Award-winner Ezra Edelman (O.J.: Made in America), BEAR promises more than a typical sports biography. This is not just about wins and championships — though Bryant had plenty, with six national titles and 13 SEC championships. It’s a gripping portrait of a complex leader, a man whose impact stretched far beyond the field.
The documentary dives deep into Bryant’s iron-willed leadership style, his almost mythic presence on the sidelines, and his ability to inspire loyalty and greatness in his players. But it doesn’t shy away from the sacrifices that came with that pursuit of greatness — the personal costs, the pressure, the criticism, and the health issues that shadowed him until his death in 1983, just weeks after coaching his final game.
Interwoven with rare archival footage, intimate interviews with former players, family members, and coaching peers, BEAR paints a raw and honest picture of a man revered and feared in equal measure. Fans can expect emotional insights from football greats like Joe Namath and Ken Stabler, alongside broader cultural commentary from historians and journalists who explore Bryant’s complicated role during the civil rights era in the Deep South.
What makes BEAR especially intriguing is how it frames Bryant not just as a coach, but as a symbol of evolving Southern identity. As the series explores, Bear Bryant wasn’t simply building football teams — he was building bridges across a deeply divided American landscape.
As college football faces a new era of realignment, NIL deals, and growing commercialization, BEAR arrives as a timely reminder of an era where grit, sacrifice, and unity defined the sport. For longtime fans and newcomers alike, this documentary series is poised to be a powerful, emotional journey — one that reveals the man behind the houndstooth hat, and why his legend still looms so large over Tuscaloosa and beyond.
Mark your calendars. This September, the Bear returns.
