Get Ready for a Touchdown of Love: Holland Roden Stars in Hallmark's NFL Romance

The NFL and Hallmark are back at it again this holiday season, and this time, they’re bringing the Buffalo Bills into the spotlight. Forget about last year’s Kansas City Chiefs love story; this year, it’s all about the Bills in the upcoming rom-com, “Holiday Touchdown: A Bills Love Story.”

So, here’s the scoop: Hallmark dropped the news back in March that their “Countdown to Christmas” lineup for 2025 would include this new football-themed flick. Last year, fans were treated to a romantic tale featuring Tyler Hynes and Hunter King, which kicked off the Holiday Touchdown franchise. Now, it’s the Bills’ turn to shine.

And let’s be real, the timing couldn’t be better. With Bills quarterback Josh Allen recently engaged to Hailee Steinfeld, the buzz around the team is at an all-time high. This engagement has definitely added some extra excitement to the film, which promises a mix of love, football, and, of course, a sprinkle of Christmas magic. Samantha DiPippo, Hallmark Media’s senior vice president, hinted at all the festive fun we can expect.

Holland Roden, known for her role in “Teen Wolf,” is super pumped to be part of this holiday project. In a video shared by Hallmark on May 19, she confirmed her casting while sporting a Bills shirt and tossing a football to her co-star and love interest, Matthew Daddario. “I’m thrilled to introduce you to my handsome and talented teammate,” she said, before playfully throwing the ball to Daddario, who joked that he’s “ready for kickoff.”

Now, let’s break down what we know about “Holiday Touchdown: A Bills Love Story.” Roden and Daddario will be playing the lead roles of Morgan Quinn and Gabe DeLuca, who are love interests in this charming rom-com. They’ll be joined by a stellar cast that includes Tony Danza, Tracy Pollan, Caroline Aaron, and Steve Schirripa. It’s shaping up to be quite the ensemble!

Last year’s Hallmark NFL movie, “Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story,” made some playful references to the romance between tight end Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift. However, it’s still unclear if Allen and Steinfeld’s relationship will be mentioned in this new film. The characters in “A Bills Love Story” don’t seem to mirror the real-life couple, much like how last year’s movie didn’t directly reflect Swift and Kelce’s romance, even though it featured a cameo from Travis’ mom, Donna Kelce.

Fans have been all about Steinfeld and Allen since they started dating in 2023. The couple got engaged in November 2024, and just two months later, a billboard in Buffalo congratulated them on their engagement with the message, “The Queen City has a new queen. Congratulations, Josh and Hailee.”

The plot centers around two families, the Quinns and the DeLucas, who are neighbors and proud members of the Bills Mafia. They celebrate the last home game before Christmas together. Morgan Quinn, played by Roden, is a pediatric doctor, while Gabe DeLuca, portrayed by Daddario, is the Bills’ VP of Stadium Development. They’ve always been close friends, but Gabe has secretly had feelings for Morgan, a fact that’s pretty obvious to their families and everyone around them.

Things get interesting when Morgan learns from her Uncle Tommy, played by Danza, that someone anonymously helped her family after he was drafted over 60 years ago. This mysterious benefactor continues to send a Christmas gift every year, and Morgan decides to track them down to give her uncle a Christmas he’ll never forget.

As Morgan and Gabe work together to uncover the identity of the gifter, they start developing feelings for each other. But when Morgan’s plans to surprise Uncle Tommy hit a snag, Gabe steps up to the plate. He uses his connections with the Bills to pull off a surprise that will make this Christmas one for the books for both families.

And it doesn’t stop there! The film will feature appearances from Bills head coach Sean McDermott, running back Ray Davis, safety Damar Hamlin, offensive tackle Dion Dawkins, tight end Dawson Knox, long snapper Reid Ferguson, defensive tackle DeWayne Carter, and wide receiver Joshua Palmer. Plus, former Bills quarterback Jim Kelly will make a cameo, along with retired players Steve Tasker, Thurman Thomas, and Scott Norwood. The network also confirmed that Bills play-by-play announcer Chris Brown will appear, and Luke Russert will pay tribute to his late father, Tim Russert, a well-known broadcast journalist.

Production for the movie kicked off in Buffalo, New York, as announced by Hallmark in May. They’re filming in several iconic locations around the area, including Highmark Stadium and Oishei Children’s Hospital, which adds a nice local touch to the film.

While Hallmark hasn’t dropped an official trailer yet, they did announce the cast with a fun “starting lineup” video on May 19. Fans are definitely looking forward to seeing how this holiday romance unfolds, especially with the Bills’ rich history and passionate fan base in the mix.

Mark your calendars because this football-themed movie is set to premiere during Hallmark Channel’s “Countdown to Christmas” programming. It’s bound to be a heartwarming addition to the holiday lineup, blending the excitement of football with the magic of love and the spirit of Christmas.