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Offensive linemen are regarded as some of the most important players in football. For instance, the New York Jets have recently gained massive press coverage for their QB search. However, many insiders believe they want to upgrade their offensive line first and foremost.
A movie that came out back in 2009 highlighted how important the position is. The Blind Side, the famous drama starring Sandra Bullock, showcased that offensive linemen are important to protecting the quarterback. If the quarterback is the most position in sports, then how important is an offensive lineman?
The movie revolved around a poverty-stricken athlete named Michael Oher. When the movie came out, he was a rookie playing for the Baltimore Ravens. Here's what has happened to him since then.
Everything To Know About The Blind Side And Michael Oher
The Blind Side came out in 2009, and it was based on a book written by prolific author Michael Lewis. Michael also wrote books such as Moneyball and The Big Short, which also have famous award-winning movie adaptations. Cast members include the aforementioned Sandra Bullock, as well as Tim McGraw, Kathy Bates, and Quinton Aaron.
The movie starts when Michael was 17. The movie sees him bounce around from foster home to foster home before he winds up homeless. Sandra's character Leigh Anne takes Michael in and helps him overcome many of the obstacles he was facing at the time. That doesn't just include housing either, as Leigh Anne assisted Michael with other things such as friendship and school work.
According to Box Office Mojo, the movie had a vast budget of $29 million. According to PureWow, Sandra made $20 million from the film, leaving $9 million for the film's other fees.
The film definitely made its money back, with a total box office collection of $309 million. The movie was seen as one of the best films released that year and won awards such as Best Actress (Sandra's portrayal) at the Academy Awards. It was also nominated for Best Picture at the same ceremony but lost to The Hurt Locker.
Was The Blind Side Accurate To Michael Oher's Life?
While The Blind Side was undoubtedly a fantastic movie, there have been serious doubts about the film's accuracy to real life. Michael Oher has confirmed on a number of occasions that The Blind Side really isn't that accurate to the true story. This wouldn't be the first time a sports biopic has these issues, as Remember the Titans and Will Smith's Concussion also had concerns regarding their correctness.
To start with, the movie certainly did a lot right. Michael did grow up in a poverty-stricken family with 11 siblings. His mother confirmed to Action News 5 that she did struggle with substances while his father went in and out of jail.
Michael's life really did change when he came across the Tuohys. Yes, as noted in both the book and the movie, they took him in and gave him a place to live. The movie could've ended right there, as that alone was a wonderful act that changed Michael's life. He was able to keep his head straight from that point onward and focus on both academics and his education.
The movie stopped earlier than the book did, as the book finished with Michael's time at the University of Mississippi.
All of that was fine, but there was a lot of drama added to the movie that caused Oher himself to come out and write a book about what the film got incorrect. First and foremost, he said the film got his personality all wrong. NFL fans know how wild the man can be, as he was very animated during his time in the league. Michael claims he's always been like this, even when facing adversity throughout his childhood.
There were a few things Michael didn't like about The Blind Side. Besides its inaccuracies, he didn't like that the movie made it seem like Sandra Bullock's character was the sole reason Michael made it in sports. The movie essentially revolved around that premise, and Michael claims that it was all wrong. He said that he'd already been playing football before he met Leigh Anne, as well as other sports such as basketball.
What Has Michael Oher Been Up To Since 2009's The Blind Side?
Aside from writing I Beat The Odds, the book where he dispels the movie's shortcomings, Michael's been up to a lot since 2009.
That same year, Michael was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the first round. From the jump Michael was a rich man in the NFL, signing a rookie contract worth $13 million per NBC Sports. Michael had finally overcome his poverty beginnings, and anyone who watched the movie couldn't have been happier at the contract news.
Michael started every game during his time with the Ravens and was a valuable player for the team. He received votes for the Offensive Rookie of the Year, despite offensive linemen never usually getting any. Whether it was for his interstellar play or because The Blind Side was so huge, that's up for debate.
Regardless, Oher won a Super Bowl with the Ravens and played an integral part in their championship. He would go on to play for the Tennessee Titans and Carolina Panthers, the latter of which he got to play for in another Super Bowl.
He was cut from the Panthers in 2017 for a failed physical and hasn't played in the league since. The NFL is a bit odd in how it treats its players and affiliates, and athletes retiring due to poor physicals is just one example of that.
Another slightly different instance would be when the league once suspended Ian Rapoport for running a social media promotion involving the controversial company Manscaped.
Most fans are used to the weird way the NFL works, but it is a shame how things such as injuries can affect the game negatively.
Michael is still pretty vocal on social media, especially Twitter. Michael recently gave Eagles Left Tackle Jordan Mailata his props for his spectacular play. In 2022, Michael got married to his longtime fiance. He had four children with her