π¬ Browns take center stage in 'The Land' trailer β SkimNews
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- Hulu's "The Land" released its first trailer Tuesday ahead of its Feb. 15 premiere, strategically slotted the day after Super Bowl LXI.
- Dan Fogelman created the series, which follows a fictionalized Browns franchise navigating on- and off-field challenges; his credits include "This Is Us" and "Paradise."
- Christopher Meloni stars as head coach Danny Roarke, whose last shot at saving his job is starting his own son Connor Roarke, a fictional rookie quarterback out of Ohio State.
- The fictional Connor Roarke was "drafted" with the first pick of the 2026 NFL draft, with commissioner Roger Goodell announcing the selection on stage in Pittsburgh as part of filming for the series.
- William H. Macy plays owner Hal Durkin, who must choose between two daughters to take over the franchise; Macy called the scripts "Shakespearean" in a January Deadline interview.
- The NFL is a co-producer on the series, granting complete access and authentic league branding β a level of league cooperation Macy said makes him optimistic about the show.
- The ensemble cast also includes Mandy Moore, Chace Crawford, Sam Corlett, Tanner Zagarino, Chloe Bennet, Bridget Moynahan and Omar Epps.
Why it matters: By co-producing with full league access and authentic branding, the NFL is lending scripted-TV legitimacy to its brand in a way sports leagues rarely extend to fiction. The day-after-Super Bowl slot pairs a prestige Fogelman series with a sports audience still in football mode, giving Hulu a built-in marketing moment when live NFL viewership is peaking.
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