Documentaries About Chuck Ealey

The revealing and emotional story of how gifted Ohio-born quarterback Chuck Ealey found refuge in Canada and the CFL in the face of racial intolerance in the United States. Ealey, who went undefeated at the quarterback position throughout high school and college, signed with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 1972 and led his team to a Grey Cup victory in his rookie season – becoming the first African-American quarterback to win the CFL’s championship trophy.

Along with giving him a place to play the game that he loved, Canada became the place Ealey chose to raise his family, and where he proudly remains rooted today. Ealey recounts his early struggles and successes while his daughter Jael tries to peel away at a reserved man to uncover missing pieces of his story.

This Emmy Award Winning PBS documentary explores history and the legacy of the ’60s and ’70s through the inspiring life of Chuck Ealey.  Experience the joys and the highs, the electricity and the love, the pains and the sorrows, and the perseverance and fight for equality. Chuck’s Undefeated Spirit unfolds through his life on and off the field. 

Take a journey with us, as we travel from Chuck’s childhood years in Portsmouth, Ohio, through his undefeated high school leadership at Notre Dame High School, to setting the NCAA record for most consecutive wins by a quarterback (35-0) at University of Toledo, and on to the CFL where he became the first black quarterback to win the coveted CFL Grey Cup Championship in his rookie season.  

A history lesson, a sports legend, and an exploration of The Undefeated Spirit all together in one documentary.