The Buffalo Bills are getting the Hallmark holiday treatment this season as they huddle up with an ’80s heartthrob for a new Christmas movie set in Upstate New York.
The MVPs of seasonal rom-coms have announced their starting lineup for “Holiday Touchdown: A Bills Love Story," which features “Who’s the Boss?” and “Taxi,” star Tony Danza. The film will premiere in the Hallmark Channel’s 16th annual Countdown to Christmas.
Also joining the cast is fellow ’80s sitcom star Tracy Pollan, known for playing Ellen Reed, Alex P. Keaton’s love interest on “Family Ties*."* Pollan has been married to her former co-star, Michael J. Fox, since 1988.
Rounding out the Hollywood cast are Holland Roden (“Teen Wolf”,) Matthew Daddario (“Shadowhunters”,) Caroline Aaron (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”,) Steve Schirripa (“The Sopranos”) and Broadway star Patti Murin.
The movie recently cast Buffalo locals as extras, and is filming in the Western New York area during May and June.
The film also features an all-star roster of real-life Bills figures, including head coach Sean McDermott and players Ray Davis, Damar Hamlin, Dion Dawkins, Dawson Knox, Reid Ferguson, DeWayne Carter and Joshua Palmer.
Bills legend Jim Kelly is also in the mix and will be joined by former teammates and other sideline staples.
In the movie, Roden and Daddario star as Morgan and Gabe, two lifelong Buffalo neighbors and die-hard Bills fans. As they search for an anonymous gifter who once helped Morgan’s family, the best friends find something more, with a little help from the Bills and a whole lot of holiday spirit.
Production begins today in the "City of Good Neighbors," at locations throughout the region including Highmark Stadium and Oishei Children’s Hospital.
“Holiday Touchdown” is the second Hallmark movies in partnership between Hallmark Media, the NFL, and Skydance Sports. It’s also one of two holiday movies filming in Buffalo this year. “Saved By the Bell” and “Access Hollywood” star Mario Lopez was recently seen filming in Tonawanda for a separate Hallmark Channel project titled “Newport Christmas.”