Title: “The Underdog: Netflix’s Bold Dive into the Legacy of Pat White”
Netflix has announced the upcoming release of its latest original sports documentary, The Underdog, a powerful and intimate portrait of West Virginia University (WVU) football icon Pat White. Slated for a global premiere on October 15, the film promises to shine a long-overdue spotlight on one of the most dynamic and underrated athletes in college football history.
Directed by Emmy-winning filmmaker Ava Hensley, The Underdog takes viewers on an emotional, hard-hitting journey from White’s humble beginnings in Daphne, Alabama, through his electrifying reign at WVU, and into his ongoing work as a coach, mentor, and advocate. With unprecedented access to White’s family, former teammates, and never-before-seen archival footage, the documentary doesn’t just recount a career—it celebrates a movement.
“Pat White changed the game,” Hensley said during Netflix’s press release. “He wasn’t just a quarterback—he was a cultural shift. This story is about grit, faith, and the kind of resilience that doesn’t make headlines… until now.”
At the heart of the film is White’s unlikely rise. Overlooked by major programs that questioned his size and durability, White took a chance on West Virginia, and in doing so, rewrote the script. Under Coach Rich Rodriguez’s spread offense, he became the face of a revolution in college football. His speed, vision, and poise led the Mountaineers to four straight bowl victories—still an NCAA record for a starting quarterback—and signature wins like the 2006 Sugar Bowl blowout over Georgia and the 2008 Fiesta Bowl upset of powerhouse Oklahoma.
But The Underdog goes beyond game-day glory. It peels back layers to reveal the quieter struggles: his decision to turn down a lucrative Major League Baseball contract with the Anaheim Angels; the emotional toll of racial stereotyping in quarterback evaluations; and the internal battles following a short-lived NFL career.
Former teammate Steve Slaton, WVU running back and fellow college football star, contributes in-depth commentary. “Pat was the calm in the storm,” Slaton reflects in the film. “He could walk into a hostile stadium with 80,000 fans screaming and make it feel like backyard football. He gave us belief.”
Also featured are interviews with college football analysts, NFL scouts, and prominent dual-threat quarterbacks who cite White as a blueprint—including Lamar Jackson and Jalen Hurts. ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit calls White “a pioneer who never got his full due in the national conversation—until now.”
White himself narrates key segments of the film, his voice steady and thoughtful. “I never saw myself as an underdog,” he says in the opening scene. “I saw myself as someone who was going to outwork every expectation.”
The documentary doesn’t stop at the past. It follows White into his present role as a quarterbacks coach, where he mentors young athletes not only on technique but on mindset and mental health. The final scenes show White speaking at a youth football camp in Charleston, WV, urging kids to “carry their roots like armor.”
Netflix’s The Underdog isn’t just a sports film—it’s a story of transformation, legacy, and the relentless pursuit of purpose. For Mountaineer Nation and football fans everywhere, it’s a long-awaited tribute to a player who redefined the quarterback position, inspired a generation, and continues to shape the game from the shadows of history into the full light of influence.
As the trailer declares: “Every legend starts somewhere. This one started in the hills of West Virginia.”
