Diedrich Bader & Christine Ebersole Join Hallmark Holiday Movie About Kansas City Chiefs; Head Coach Andy Reid Also Set To Appear

Lynette Rice
·3 min read

UPDATED, 7/11: Diedrich Bader (American Housewife) and Christine Ebersole (Bob Hearts Abishola) are joining the cast of Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story for Hallmark.

Megyn Price (The Ranch, Rules of Engagement) and Richard Riehle (Barry, Office Space) have also joined the movie that’s among one of 40 new flicks that will debut during the 15th anniversary of Hallmark’s Countdown to Christmas.

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Also expected to join the action are Kansas City Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid, Chiefs Guard Trey Smith, Wide Receiver Mecole Hardman Jr., Running Back Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Defensive End George Karlaftis and other players to be drafted later.

Sadly, Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift are not slated to make cameos. But Bader quipped he’s playing “Tay Tay.”

PREVIOUSLY: Well this is different: Hallmark Channel is teaming with the Kansas City Chiefs to make Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story.

Production stars next month on the movie that will star Tyler Hynes (Shifting Gears, Three Wise Men and a Baby), Hunter King (Two Scoops Of Italy, The Santa Summit) and Ed Begley Jr. (Young Sheldon, Better Call Saul). It will film entirely in Kansas City, Mo., including at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.

Skydance Sports, a newly formed venture between Skydance Media and the NFL, will executive produce.

“With Hallmark and the Kansas City Chiefs both homegrown, rooted in values, tradition and community, there is a special alchemy between these two iconic organizations,” said Lisa Hamilton Daly, Executive Vice President, Programming. “By blending the warmth of Hallmark storytelling with the excitement of professional football, we are thrilled to give audiences a front-row seat to this community’s spirit, rich traditions and passionate fans that define Kansas City, all wrapped up in the comforting and uplifting Hallmark way.”

“We are honored to partner with Hallmark on a project as unique as this,” added Chiefs President Mark Donovan. “As a club, we pride ourselves on exploring new ways to grow our brand, as well as connect with new audiences. This partnership unites two passionate fanbases and gives us an opportunity to show Chiefs Kingdom’s energy and tradition on one of the most-watched channels during the holiday season.”

In Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story, Alana Higman (King) is sure that her family’s lifelong history as Kansas City Chiefs superfans makes them a frontrunner to win the team’s “Fan of the Year” contest.  Derrick (Hynes), Director of Fan Engagement, is tasked with evaluating how Alana  and her family stack up against the other two finalists.  As the pair spends time together, it’s clear there’s a spark between them but when her grandfathers (Begley Jr.) vintage Chiefs, good luck winter hat goes missing, Alana begins to doubt everything she believed about fate, destiny and even questions her future with Derrick – unless, that is, a little Christmas magic can throw a Hail Mary. Script is by Julie Sherman Wolfe.

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