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The Taylors
Coach Eric Taylor
Played by: Kyle Chandler
The head coach of the Dillon Panthers in seasons 1-3 and the East Dillon Lions in 4-5, and as a result the de facto "main character" of the series. Happily Married to Tami Taylor, and father to Julie and Gracie Belle. Eric Taylor loves his job, loves his wife, loves his family and loves his team, and commits to all of them one hundred and ten percent.
- A Father to His Men: Eric takes special care in overseeing the growth of the boys on his team into men. On various occasions he is called "a molder of men" because of just how strongly he impacts his team's lives. Notably, his bolstering of Matt Saracen's self-confidence allowed Matt to grow into his role as The Quarterback and he essentially turned Vince Howard's whole life around and gave him opportunity after opportunity he wouldn't have had otherwise.
- Beware the Nice Ones: Coach—along with his wife Tami—is probably the nicest person on the show and serves as the town's moral touchstone on many occasions. That being said, if you EVER hurt his wife, his daughters OR his players, Coach will make you sincerely sorry (often without actually speaking), and even the toughest man will find himself apologizing profusely by the time he's done talking to him. The best part? When he's angry, he manages to be terrifyingly intimidating without crossing any moral lines. (Again, he is the show's moral center.)
- Deadpan Snarker: Usually when responding to the antics in his family, but also occasionally as a coach.
- Drill Sergeant Nasty: Occasionally veers into a very downplayed version of this trope when he's frustrated with his players. But ultimately he's about positive reinforcement and the value of teamwork.
- Everyone Calls Him "Barkeep": More often than not, he will be referred to as Coach and not Eric.
- George Jetson Job Security: Despite winning the state championship 1-2 years before (depending on if Season 2 is canon), he gets fired for losing by a field goal in Season 3.
- Innocently Insensitive: While he and Tami are one of the most iconic Happily Married TV couples, they do have their tiffs, often as a result of Eric neglecting to tell her something that may disrupt her day in a big way.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: His motivational speech to Luke about figuring out a way to balance his responsibilities on the farm with school and football results in Luke running himself ragged, getting severely injured, abusing pain meds, missing half the season, and consequentially missing out on college recruitment opportunities.
- Nice Guy: There's a reason everyone in town wants him to be their confidant.
- Papa Wolf: To his daughters and his team. Even more terrifying, when Julie comes home from college and confesses to having an affair with her married TA, and said TA shows up at the Taylors' house, Coach silently strides out and physically chases him back into his car and actually smashes the taillight as the car pulls away. Doubles as a HUGE instance of Beware the Nice Ones.
- Parental Substitute: Most notably to Matt. He has shades of this with Vince and Smash as well.
- Reasonable Authority Figure: He's often put in a position where he has to enforce school policies, but behind the scenes he gives candid advice to members of the team and attempts to support them both on and off the field.
- Rousing Speech: Gives one before and/or during almost every game.
- The Strategist: Nary a moment goes by when Eric is not watching game tapes, planning his strategy for his next game or tearing his hair out wondering what to do about the upcoming team's seemingly unbreakable defense/unrelenting offense/killer recievers/unstoppable tactics. He sometimes comes into friction with his family over this, but when it really counts he knows when to put the game tapes away for the evening.
- Teeth-Clenched Teamwork: With the booster club, and pretty much anyone who interferes with his ability to coach his team his way.
- Tranquil Fury: While he's not above shouting on the field or in the locker room, someone is really in trouble when he lowers his voice and tells them exactly what they're going to do to make things right.
- Verbal Tic:
- Calls his players "son" very often, showing that he thinks of them as family.
- Whenever he is about to give someone either a Rousing Speech or a serious talking to, he will almost always preface it with "Lemme tell you somethin'".
Tami Taylor
Played by: Connie Britton
The coach's wife who is not content to be just the coach's wife in a town crazy about football. The guidance counselor and then principal at West Dillon High, and mother of Julie and Gracie Belle. Eminently quotable. Tami has a strong conviction about always doing the right thing no matter what, especially if it helps the high-school kids she cares so much about. And when confronted about breaking the rules, she's not afraid to vehemently argue her position until the cows come home.
- Alliterative Name: T'ami Taylor.
- Career Versus Man: Subverted. Eric and Tami may quarrel a bit sometimes over school-related things, but it never affects their family to the point of breaking.
- Deadpan Snarker: One of the snarkiest characters in the series, but also acts as The Heart.
- Law of Inverse Fertility: Learns of her pregnancy with Gracie just when Coach is debating taking a job at TMU.
- Mama Bear: To Julie and to some of the other girls at the school, especially Lyla, Tyra, Becky and Epyck.
- Parental Substitute: Acts as this to Tyra; whose mother neglects her.
- Reasonable Authority Figure: When the school's budget can't cover necessary academic expenses, she allocates the jumbotron funds towards programs and teacher salaries. She prioritizes the needs of the teachers and students over a frivolous purchase for the football field. However, given that football is Serious Business in Dillon she faces repercussions for this.
- Screw the Rules, I'm Doing What's Right!: She'll tiptoe around school policies to help students, which results in her career taking some hits.
- Silent Snarker: In the pilot episode, the scene where the gossipy wives invite Tami to join them for a book club meeting and act in a way that can only be described as transparently "fake nice," Tami's facial expression says it all, before she replies "Uh-huh, yeah! Sure."
Julie Taylor
Played by: Aimee Teegarden
The teenage daughter of the Taylors. Starts out as a freshman in high school; is through her freshman year of college when the series ends.
- Bratty Teenage Daughter: She suddenly becomes this at the beginning of Season 2, though later episodes mitigate this. Otherwise she is often mature, level-headed and kind.
- Genius Book Club: She excels in English class, and speaks to her love of reading and stories in her college interview. She also aces a literary question in an academic quiz bowl competition; while Trying Not to Cry after Matt leaves.
- Innocently Insensitive: Julie's upbringing was a lot more stable and loving than many of her peers. She sometimes doesn't understand their perspectives or inadvertently insults or undermines them due to her naiveté.
- Odd Friendship: With Tyra at first.
- Single Woman Seeks Good Man: She originally had no interest in Matt because he's a football player. Once she gets to know him better and realizes he isn't a typical Jerk Jock, she falls for him and dates him.
- The Snark Knight: She has a sarcastic comeback for any situation she finds unreasonable.
Dillon High School / The Dillon Panthers
Jason Street
Played by: Scott Porter
The former star quarterback of the Dillon Panthers. Suffers a severe spinal injury in the pilot episode that leaves him in a wheelchair for the rest of his life.
- The Ace: Introduced as this in the pilot episode; he's the star QB, handsome, well-liked, in a loving relationship, and a School Idol. Much of his Character Development relates to regaining his sense of self and purpose after his accident.
- Back for the Finale: Scott Porter came back to film an alternate scene for the ending montage. It wasn't used in the show nor is it on the DVDs, but a screenshot of it can be found on the Season 5 set.
- Broken Ace: After a debilitating injury ruins his placement on the fast track to a prestigious football career, Jason spends the next few seasons moping and trying to find his purpose in life since he structured his whole plan and identity around the game. Eventually, he finally finds a way to reconnect with his love of the game by becoming a sports agent.
- Decoy Protagonist: The first episode builds him up as the most prominent of the football players in the main cast, then his injury happens, leading to Matt taking his place. He does remain a major character, however.
- Determinator: Particularly when he has a son, and will do anything to provide for his family.
- Earn Your Happy Ending: Jason has to do a lot of soul-searching over two-and-a-half seasons to figure out just what will become of his life after everything was derailed by his injury, but a miraculous conception with a girl he briefly dated gives him newfound hope. At the end of the series, he has a steady job connected to his beloved game of football while also Happily Married with a baby son.
- Et Tu, Brute?: At the beginning of the series, he's dating (and planning on marrying) Lyla, and Tim is his best friend. The two of them begin an affair while Jason is recovering from a devastating accident and lost his ability to walk.
- Handicapped Badass: For a long period he developed his skills at wheelchair basketball and rugby, hoping to use it as a vehicle to once again become a star athlete. He was damn good, but not good enough to make the paralympic team scouting him, crushing his ambitions in that regard.
- Inspirationally Disadvantaged: Consciously averted. Jason's injury is obviously a big aspect of who he is, but he learns pretty quickly (and from his fellow wheelchair-bound friend Hirk) that he can live his life almost exactly as it was before, and a big part of his personal arc is figuring out who he wants to be despite his physical ailment.
- Nice Guy: He consistently shows benevolence and kindness in his actions. Notably, there's not a shred of bitterness when he learns Matt has assumed his role on the team, and he compliments him to Coach Taylor. Jason also forgives Lyla and Tim for their affair.
- Took a Level in Jerkass: After his accident, although difficult to blame him, especially in light of Tim and Lyla's betrayal (though they eventually resume their friendships).
- Out of Focus: He was initially a main character but left towards the end of season three to work in New York.
- Papa Wolf: There really isn't anything he won't do for his son.
- Vitriolic Best Buds: He can a real jerk to Tim (not without cause) but they do really care about each other.
Lyla Garrity
Played by: Minka Kelly
Cheerleader and girlfriend of Jason Street when the series starts. Comes from a McMansion family barely holding together at the seams.
- Academic Athlete: Cheerleading captain and straight-A student.
- Amazingly Embarrassing Parents: Her adulterous father who seems to care more about football than his own kids definitely qualifies.
- Birds of a Feather: With Jason; two wholesome, popular, football-loving teenagers.
- Brainy Brunette: She's smart enough to get into Vanderbilt; however, she first says she's going to follow Jason to Notre Dame in Season 1 and then, after Jason follow Tim to San Antonio State at the end of 3. She doesn't do either.
- Career Versus Man: She generally prioritizes proximity to her boyfriend over her own goals and interests. After some Character Development, she chooses a college that is right for her, rather than following Tim.
- Church Lady: For a brief period following her affair with Tim, proselytizing at every opportunity and cohosting a Christian radio call-in show for teens.
- Foil: To Tyra. Both are involved with Tim; but have had vastly different upbringings and outlooks on life.
- Girl Posse: Zig-zagged; when she's on the squad she has cheerleader friends, but she doesn't seem to have many female companions after leaving.
- The Idealist: Lyla is an optimist, a Go-Getter Girl, and it takes her a long time to accept that Jason's paralysis is permanent.
- Slut-Shaming: Becomes the victim of in-person and online bullying after her affair with Tim becomes public knowledge.
- Stepford Smiler: After Jason's accident. She tries to convince everyone, including herself, that he'll walk again and they'll be able to follow through on all their plans. He won't, and they don't.
- Turn to Religion: Becomes a born-again Christian in season 2.
- Uptown Girl: To Tim Riggins.
Tim Riggins
Played by: Taylor Kitsch
Tim Riggins is a walking contradiction, at the same time a very simple and very complicated man. An outstanding running back and receiver for the Panthers, Tim probably causes Coach Taylor the most amount of grief despite his impressive skills. A lover of football, beer and sex, Tim has no lofty aspirations in life and is content to spend his days in Texas living on the land. Simultaneously, Tim is an extremely poorly-developed Manchild who only steps up to the plate when absolutely necessary or when forced. Then in season 4, a little Morality Pet named Becky comes knocking on his door, and Tim goes from a cynical, hedonistic jerk with just a few sparkles of gold in him to a kind, sensitive and protecting Papa Wolf and Mentor Archetype. He winds up taking the fall for his and Billy's chop shop and going to prison in what for him is the ultimate sacrifice, but ultimately gets his wish to live on a Texan homestead.- The Alcoholic: You could probably take a shot every time Tim isn't in the middle of drinking a beer and finish the series without even feeling tipsy.
- All Girls Want Bad Boys: He is rarely ever short lady attention regardless of their age.
- Birds of a Feather: With Tyra; both are from the Wrong Side of the Tracks, drink and party, deal with Parental Abandonment, and insecurity in their own abilities.
- Brilliant, but Lazy: He's an excellent player and a pretty good student but has very little ability to apply himself to anything. He ends up quitting college after getting halfway through the first period of his first class
- The Casanova: Tim can have his pick of the ladies.
- Deadpan Snarker: Probably the most sarcastic character in the series.
- Dating What Daddy Hates: It's safe to say that none of his love interest's fathers are huge fans of him.
- Disappeared Dad: Tim's brother Billy provides for him, as his dad is a neglectful and self-centered jerk who walked out on them.
- Heroic Sacrifice: Went to jail to protect his brother who had just become a father.
- High-School Hustler: Generally when someone is looking to break the rules, Tim is who they go to for help. A notable example of this is him setting up Luke with painkillers.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: He can be be a real jerk at times but has a very sweet and warm heart underneath. Most notably when he starts acting as a mentor to younger players like J.D. or consoles his friends like Matt or Becky.
- Long-Haired Pretty Boy: Tim is a little rough and unkempt around the edges, but being played by Taylor Kitsch makes him become this by default.
- Mr. Fanservice: There are a lot of scenes of him shirtless, and being a guy who tackles dudes on the regular he is super buff. He also has sex a lot, being The Casanova.
- True Companions: He, Jason and Lyla are this at the beginning of the show, with their rallying cry being "Texas Forever!" Ultimately, Tim is the only one who stays loyal to Texas and never moves on to better things
- Troubled, but Cute: He is a brooding loner with a ton of issues and a drinking problem, but has a good heart and is still handsome.
- Urban Legend Love Life: Tim has a reputation as a notorious and prolific womanizer. Even the adults seem aware, with parents cringing at the thought of Riggins taking an interest in their daughters. In contrast to his reputation, throughout the series, we see him engaged in long-term, albeit extremely tumultuous, relationships with just three women (Lyla, Tyra, and Jackie) and he is genuinely distraught when each woman breaks up with him. While we see him flirt with rally girls, the only actual one-night stand we see him engage in is with Cheryl Sproles who makes it clear that she would welcome a repeat performance, but the age difference (she is over ten years Tim's senior) and her neediness make Tim uncomfortable and he refuses. He also serves as a protective older brother figure to some of the younger female characters such as Becky and Julie. He refuses their blatant advances, tries to redirect their interests to more age-appropriate companions, and generally tries to keep them out of trouble recognizing some of the bad intentions of the guys they encounter.
- Vitriolic Best Buds: With Jason and his brother Billy. Most of his friendships qualify due to his sarcastic nature.
Tyra Collette
Played by: Adrianne Palicki
The local "slutty bad girl" of Dillon. Tyra starts out as a bit of a one-note character defined by her attractiveness and flings with other male characters, but eventually it becomes apparent that she's a lonely girl terrified of being trapped in Dillon forever and eventually being forced to settle down with someone like Tim Riggins like her mother and sister. Eventually, with a lot of gumption and help from Tami Taylor, she manages to bring herself back from coasting through high school on her looks to getting into college and managing to achieve her dream of leaving Dillon.- All Girls Want Bad Boys: She's drawn to Tim Riggins, a rogue cowboy named Cash, and a businessman with a girlfriend. Her attraction to Nice Guy Landry comes on much more gradually.
- Broken Bird: Seems well on her way to becoming this when we first meet her, even more so after we meet her mother, who is a full-fledged, pill-popping Broken Bird in a string of abusive relationships who doesn't want her daughter to go to college. Ultimately averts it; gets out of Dillon and goes to UT.
- Brainless Beauty: Deconstructed. Tyra starts out playing this trope straight, but it soon becomes readily apparent that she flaunts her looks and sexuality only because she believes she doesn't have any other qualities and her fate as a permanent resident of Dillon has been sealed. After Tami manages to talk some sense into her that she won't be able to use her looks to escape Dillon, she turns her life around and winds up becoming a Go-Getter Girl in order to achieve her goal of getting into college despite her lackluster permanent record.
- Brutal Honesty: Tyra doesn't mince words when she's upset or frustrated with someone. She tells Jason how frustrated she is that Tim won't visit him in the hospital, and she more-or-less screams in Landry's face that she's more attracted to Cash than him.
- Cool Big Sis: Plays this trope to Julie in Season 1.
- Generation Xerox: Is afraid of turning out like her mother and older sister; two women who never left Dillon and depend on validation from men. She goes to college, but ultimately returns to Dillon and reunites with Tim Riggins.
- Go-Getter Girl: She works hard to get into college in the third season, and with good reason, as she doesn't have an exceptional GPA by her junior year of High School with no extracurriculars or other noteworthy stuff attached. She manages to change all of that, though, and barely manages to scrape through and get wait-listed. Even then, she drives down to the admissions office herself, and a heartfelt speech manages to get her fully in when she wouldn't have otherwise.
- Hard-Drinking Party Girl: She's been caught drinking on school property, and starts the series dating Tim, who is a regular drinker. Her Character Development focuses on her desire to go to college and realize her potential.
- Ms. Fanservice: She frequently wears skimpy attire which the camera seems to hover on for just a little too long to not be suspicious.
- Opposites Attract: Finds an unexpected connection with Landry; a nerdy musician.
- The Resenter: Admits in her college application essay that she used to be this for Jason Street and others who had more potential to succeed in life. She also despises Lyla even before her involvement with Tim; due to Lyla's wealth, popularity, and academic success.
- Small Town Boredom: Hates Dillon and is desperate to leave.
- Statuesque Stunner: She's taller than or as tall as every man she gets into a relationship with. This trope applies especially for Landry, who is enamored with her and a lot shorter than her.
- Student Council President: In Season 3 - despite using some unconventional methods to win votes.
- Toxic Friend Influence: At first to Julie, inadvertently getting her arrested even.
Brian "Smash" Williams
Played by: Gaius Charles
The Panthers' swaggering, trash-talking braggart of a star Offensive Back who knock his opponents over like bowling pins on the field and can run like hell. Probably scores more touchdowns than the rest of the team combined, and one-half of the Panthers' lethal one-two punch of Tim Riggins' defense and Smash's offense. Make no mistake, though—beneath all his bravado, Smash is an incredibly caring and doting son who works hard both on the field and off it to support his mother and siblings. His ultimate goal is to make it to the NFL so his family can achieve ultimate stability, and though he faces many hurdles he's well on his way by the end of the series.- Big Brother Instinct: He's very protective of his sister, and horrified when racists start threatening her.
- Boisterous Bruiser: By far the most vocal member of the Panthers.
- Butt-Monkey: Despite all of his talents; his college opportunities are consistently thwarted by events outside of his control.
- Disappeared Dad: His died in a car accident when he was younger.
- Earn Your Happy Ending: Came back from a confidence-shattering injury to end up earning a spot with Texas A&M. As of the end of the series, he is the only Panther or Lion explicitly shown to have successfully transitioned to college football.
- The Heart: After Jason's injury, he becomes the key motivating force for the Panthers.
- He's Back!: Takes some time to regain his physical strength and confidence after an injury but ultimately regains his focus and self-efficacy; and scores a college scholarship.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Under his cocky exterior, he does care about his family, friends, and teammates.
- Justified Criminal: When he starts taking steroids in season one, he is only doing so to improve his chances of going to college and getting his family out of poverty. Subverted when his mother finds out, and reports him. She makes it clear that she doesn't want out of poverty if they can't get there legally.
- Only Known by Their Nickname: When someone calls him "Brian", it's a sign of something important.
- Put on a Bus: Thanks to Gaius Charles wanting to quit acting to become a minister, though he's since returned to it.
- Small Name, Big Ego: Had his moments but Coach Taylor was always quick to bring him back down to earth.
- Third-Person Person: Enjoys referring to himself as "The Smash"; particularly when talking to teammates or women.
Matt Saracen
Played by: Zach Gilford
An unassuming relief player turned unlikely Panthers star quarterback, Matt Saracen has a heart of gold, a body of steel and a tongue of molasses. Though the world throws a million and a half problems his way, such as him having to take care of his aging grandmother due his father being deployed in Iraq, he withstands the crucible of his high school years and grows into a strong, confident, caring and kind artist thanks to his experiences on the football team.- Always Someone Better: J.D. McCoy. Though Matt is later called upon to fix J.D.'s mistakes, implying that Matt really was the better player all along.
- Butt-Monkey: If something terrible is going to happen, there's a good chance it will be to Matt.
- Closet Geek: While he is a QB, he likes to draw and watch fantasy movies in his spare time.
- Disappeared Dad: His dad joined the Army and Matt believes he was a much better soldier than he was a parent. He even goes so far as to encourage his dad to go back to Iraq after he suggests his grandmother go to a nursing home. His father dies in combat in Season 4.
- Establishing Character Moment: Matt is first shown sitting on the bench during practice, as he's the reserve player for Jason. His next scene shows him practicing at home, demonstrating that although he's overlooked by the team, Matt is a very dedicated player.
- Missing Mom: She comes back in season three and tries to make amends.
- Parental Substitute: Sadly, due to his grandmother's dementia and his father's absence, Matt is Grandma Saracen's primary caregiver, which is a lot for a teenager to handle. Nevertheless, Matt clearly loves her and would do anything for her, and despite his difficulties dealing with this role he manages to ensure that she's well cared for throughout the series.
- Sensitive Guy and Manly Man: Matt's the Sensitive Guy to Riggins's Manly Man (actually, he's also the Sensitive Guy compared to Smash and a lot of the other players on the team too). But Matt is also the Manly Man to Landry's Sensitive Guy.
- Socially Awkward Hero: Matt is a massive dork who is constantly stumbling over his words and making verbal gaffes, but this only makes the audience root for him even more, and Julie especially finds it endearing.
- Vitriolic Best Buds: He's never been shy about making fun of Landry though he obviously cares about him a lot.
- Weak, but Skilled: Lacks the raw physical talent of a J.D. McCoy or Voodoo Tatum, but is a shrewd tactician who knows every play and route in the book.
- When He Smiles: He has a pretty sweet nerdy grin that comes out on the few occasions he's happy. It's always nice to see.
- Wise Beyond Their Years: It mostly comes from being forced to look after his ill grandmother at only sixteen.
- The Quarterback: It doesn't seem like he'd be this, being a shy, bookish fellow, but as the seasons go on he falls into his role as the leader of the team and takes several levels in confidence, becoming the universally beloved lynchpin of the Panthers. Then J.D. McCoy shows up, and Coach Taylor picking him over Matt winds up dealing a tremendous blow to his self-esteem. He bounces back, though, and becomes stronger than ever.
Landry Clark
Played by: Jesse Plemons
Matt's geeky best friend and Cosmic Plaything all his own, Landry starts out as a Plucky Comic Relief sidekick before getting upgraded to being part of the main cast in season 2. He joins the Panthers to moderate success and briefly joins the Lions in season 4, but his primary arc involves him getting romantically entangled with various women, most prominently the near-opposite of him in every way Tyra Collette.
- Accidental Misnaming: Coach Taylor never seemed to stop addressing him as "Lance".
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Actor-Shared Background: Jesse Plemons is one of the few cast members who is also from Texas and who did play high school football. - Back for the Finale: Shows up for one final scene with Matt.
- Beware the Nice Ones: It took him no time at all to beat Tyra's would-be rapist to death.
- Butt-Monkey: In Season one. After that, it mostly wears off. By season four, he is possibly the most competent character on the team.
- Deadpan Snarker: He's not shy about pointing about other people's stupidity.
- Dogged Nice Guy: Landry is unlucky in love; with his girlfriends taking interest in other men and in one case, realizing she is a lesbian.
- The Heart: Of the Panthers and later the Lions.
- The Insomniac: Supposedly. Matt says he's one in the first episode, but it's never followed up on.
- Nice Guy: Definitely one of the nicest in the series.
- Platonic Life-Partners: With Tyra after their split; though they're not dating, he does everything he can to make sure Tyra gets into college. He also has this with Devin and Jess.
- Rule of Creepy: In season 1, to Tyra. He constantly follows her around and pushes himself on her when she is very clearly not interested.
- Took a Level in Badass: Particularly when he joins the team.
- Vitriolic Best Buds: He and Matt are not shy about exchanging snarky comments, though they really care about each other.
J.D. McCoy
Played by: Jeremy Sumpter
- Abusive Parents: His dad to the point that he beat him for being justifiably angry at him and tried to ruin his relationship with a girl.
- Broken Ace: He's athletically talented (particularly for a high school freshman), but also very messed up emotionally. His controlling and abusive father berates and humiliates him, and J.D. struggles to connect with his peers.
- The Bully: In Season 4, he needlessly taunts and harasses other students in Dillon.
- Butt-Monkey: Much of the team treats him as this early on in season three.
- Jerkass / Took a Level in Jerkass: In Season four. He becomes a full-on Jerk Jock; and loses many of his sympathetic traits from Season 3.
- Lonely Rich Kid: Comes from an incredibly wealthy family; and has a number of resources and opportunities readily available to him. However, he doesn't seem to have any real friends (in Season 3) and Coach Taylor has to prod Tim to hang out with him.
- Put on a Bus: Leaves Dillon along with his father between Seasons 4 and 5, given only a passing mention.
- The Resenter: He starts taking petty shots at Matt in Season 4; implied to be because he's humiliated about getting benched at state, and jealous of Matt's stellar performance.
- Small Name, Big Ego: For a guy who choked at State the prior season, J.D. really does think the world of himself in season four.
- "Well Done, Son" Guy: His dad keeps him searching for approval.
East Dillon High School / The East Dillon Lions
Vince Howard
Played by: Michael B. Jordan
A two-bit hoodlum turned star quarterback, Coach Taylor first takes notice of Vince Howard when he watches him absolutely book it from some police officers. He manages to get him a tentative deal to prevent him from going to juvie if he plays on his football team. Vince himself has a pretty big ego, but also the skills to back his boasting up and a fierce loyalty to his friends, family and team.- Broken Ace: He's an excellent football player, but his father went to prison and his mother is depressed and addicted to heroin.
- Handsome Lech: He hits on Jess a lot, eventually getting her to come around to him, and is pretty conventionally attractive.
- Promotion to Parent: Due to his mother's aforementioned heroin problem, Vince is responsible for holding down a job to keep food on the table.
- Suspiciously Similar Substitute: For Smash Williams. They both are hard-hitting, African-American Mommas Boys with gigantic egos they need to keep in check, who early in their arcs, dislike another white player on the team and eventually come to blows over it before coming to terms. They do have some subtle differences, though; Smash was extremely dedicated to getting a scholarship and going pro to support his family, while Vince was a thug who had the job of Quarterback foisted upon him but rose to the occasion, giving himself a bright future with a lot of prospects ahead.
Luke Cafferty
Played by: Matt Lauria
A kind, decent farm boy turned football jack-of-all-trades. Together with Vince Howard, he and Luke recreate the legendary '06 Williams/Riggins one-two punch, but for the East Dillon Lions. Off the field, Luke is a sensitive guy who pines for Becky Sproles and eventually wins her heart, though not before accidentally getting her pregnant and having to grapple with the aftermath of her abortion. Eventually, while he is a jack-of-all-trades, he determines himself to be a Master of None and moves on from football.- Determinator: In season four, to a degree that's almost painful to watch.
- Nice Guy: Was fully prepared to help Becky raise their baby, before she had an abortion.
Dallas Tinker
Played by: La Marcus Tinker
Jess Merriweather
Played by: Jurnee Smollett
- Dating What Daddy Hates: Her father does not approve of her dating Vince at first, since Vince in his mind is still a directionless hoodlum. However, as Vince begins to shape up and become The Quarterback, her father warms up to him.
- Tomboy: A HUGE football fan - and she knows her stuff. She teaches Landry to kick a field goal.
Becky Sproles
Played by: Madison Burgess
- Good Girls Avoid Abortion: Subverted. After getting pregnant, she gets an abortion and is treated sympathetically by the show for doing so.
- Precocious Crush: A big portion of her character development is learning how to get past her crush on Tim Riggins, who not only is too old for her but sees himself as her Cool Big Bro. She eventually does, and hooks up with Luke instead.
- Stepford Smiler: Her optimistic attitude hides the broken fragile young girl beneath it.
Buddy Garrity, Jr.
Played by: Jeff Rosick and Joey Trutty
- Ascended Extra: Was a bit character in the first couple seasons, who we barely saw and merely served as a plot device, along with all the other Garrity kids other than Lyla. He returns all grown up in the final season after spending the last few years in California and joins the team.
- I Do Not Like Green Eggs and Ham: Buddy's mom's new boyfriend, a soccer-loving vegetarian Hipster, trains Buddy Jr. to hate football, even though he'd previously loved it as a kid (and part of it may have been Buddy Jr. seeking a way to lash out against Buddy Sr. for being a terrible father and husband) and he repeatedly insists that American football is a "barbaric" game upon his return from San Francisco. But after he returns to Dillon, Buddy Sr. helps Jr. regain his love of the game.
- New-Age Retro Hippie: He and the other Garrity kids start becoming this way after living with their mom's new boyfriend in San Francisco, who is very much a hipster. Buddy Senior makes it his mission to deprogram them from this, and actually succeeds.
Hastings Ruckle
Played by: Grey Damon
- Demoted to Extra: When he first showed up, it looked like he was going to be a major character and possibly end up in a love triangle with Jess and Vince. But he actually starts getting fewer lines as the episodes progress.
- I Do Not Like Green Eggs and Ham: Similarly to Buddy Jr., he initially views football as "barbaric", but Coach Taylor makes a convert out of him. He ends up loving his time on the team.
Family and Friends
Lorraine Saracen
Played by: Louanne Stephens
- Actor-Shared Background: Louanne Stephens has experience volunteering with dementia patients in nursing homes, and drew on that for her portrayal.
- Cool Old Lady: Can drink with the best of them.
- Scatterbrained Senior: Suffers from dementia, which becomes increasingly difficult for Matt to manage.
- Screw Politeness, I'm a Senior!: "Matthew, you need to get a new friend."
Buddy Garrity
Played by: Brad Leland
The owner of Dillon's primary car dealership and later Buddy's Bar, as well as one of the senior members of the Dillon Panthers' Boosters Club. To Buddy Garrity, football is more important than life itself. His primary role in the series is to be found dogging and bothering Coach Taylor about the crisis of the week and how it's going to cause the Panthers to choke in the upcoming game. However, after his wife divorces him and takes all his kids but Lyla, as well as Joe McCoy perverting the Panthers team into a sadistic reflection of what it once was, he starts leaning more into his role as a pillar of the community and throws his weight around to improve the spirit and livelihood of the East Dillon Lions.- Good Ol' Boy: Is a proud, haughty, beer-chugging, steak-devouring conservative Texan, but is also loyal to a fault to his friends and broadly a nice guy even if he takes some missteps.
- Heel–Face Turn: In season four, he stops supporting the Panthers and helps Coach Taylor build up support for the Lions.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: He can be a real sleaze but he's a loving father and very loyal friend underneath it.
- Pet the Dog: His defense of the Panthers in season 4.
- Retired Badass: Part of the reason he loves the Panthers so much besides town tradition is that he used to be one himself, back when he had enough hair to have a big-ass Afro.
- Sexist Used Car Salesman: His cars aren't used, but he otherwise fits.
Joe McCoy
Played by: D. W. Moffett
- Abusive Parents: Starts off as a Control Freak before physically abusing his son.
- Control Freak: He won't even let J.D. eat a candy bar.
- Jerkass: The biggest one in the series.
- Screw the Rules, I Have Money!: He uses his wealth to make sure everything goes his way, which brings him into conflict with Coach Taylor who cannot be bought.
- Sports Dad: He's pretty much an Expy of Marv Marinovich.
Mindy Collette Riggins
Played by: Stacey Oristano
- Ascended Extra: Began Season 1 as little more than a background character for the guys to ogle at and Tara to be pissed at, but beginning with her engagement to Billy she began to have more involved role and a significant one in season 5.
- Parental Substitute: Becomes this for Becky when her mother leaves and she is stuck living with her stepmom while her father on the road.
Corinna Williams
Played by: Liz Mikel
- Almighty Mom: She's scary when she's mad.
- Education Mama: As proud as she is of Smash's accomplishments on the field, she's equally committed to his academic success and encourages him to keep his eyes on a college degree.
- Large and in Charge: A formidable physical presence at over six feet tall with a heavyset frame.
- Sassy Black Woman: Has her share of Deadpan Snarker moments.Corinna: (to Tyra after catching her and Smash having sex) This to get back at Tim Riggins?Tyra: What are you a shrink?Corinna: Oh, I'd be nice. I work at Planned Parenthood. You probably haven't seen the last of me.
- Struggling Single Mother: Raises Smash and his two sisters by herself after their father's death in a car accident.
