“Rudy” (1993) is a popular, heartwarming football film that has long been considered a classic of the genre, showcasing the hard work and determination which Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger displayed as he fought to be able to play on the Notre Dame’s Fighting Irish. However, the film’s plot is allegedly plagued with exaggerations and inaccuracies, as claimed by people present during the real life events.
Dan Devine, the team’s coach during that time period, is vilified in the film. He is obstinate in his refusal to let Rudy play on the team, even for one game, and is portrayed as unsympathetic and cruel. However, in his autobiography, Devine claims that in real life it was his idea to have Rudy play and that while he agreed to have his character be an antagonist in the film, he did not realize how negative his portrayal would be.
Joe Montana, the team’s quarterback during the events of the film, has also come forward to dispute many of the details. He especially takes issue with the film’s iconic ending. In the film, the team’s players all throw their jerseys on Devine’s desk to protest his refusal to let Rudy play.
Devine relents and allows Rudy to join but only actually puts him in the game when fans and players chant his name before the final play. Rudy sacks the Georgia Tech quarterback, and his teammates carry him off the field in celebration.
In real life, Montana says the players never gave up their jerseys. While a couple of them did speak to Devine about letting Rudy play, the dramatic scene depicted in the film is greatly exaggerated. Another inaccuracy is with the timing of the chanting—fans did not start chanting Rudy’s name until after he sacked the quarterback.
Montana said in an interview for Pardon My Take, “Was there a lot of things that happened? Yeah. He got in, he got a sack. Was the crowd chanting? No. Did I throw in my jersey? No. Did he get carried off the field? He got carried off by three of the biggest pranksters on the team.”
Despite these inaccuracies, the film remains an inspiring classic. Many fans are not bothered by the exaggerated details because they believe the themes of the real-life story—Rudy’s hard work and diligence—ring true regardless of what Devine or Montana have said.