Arlington Heights actor reflects on enduring legacy of ‘Draft Day’

I’m not ashamed to admit I watch the movie “Draft Day” at least once year.

The 2014 film, depicting the first round of an NFL draft, may be cheesy. But it’s also immensely satisfying as a football fan.

It’s perfectly cast, starring Kevin Costner as Cleveland Browns general manager Sonny Weaver. Co-stars include Jennifer Garner, Denis Leary, Frank Langella, Chadwick Boseman, Sam Elliott and Ellen Burstyn.

Oh … and it features my old high school pal Pat Healy, a 1989 Buffalo Grove High School grad from Arlington Heights I’ve known for nearly 40 years. He plays rookie Jacksonville Jaguars GM Jeff Carson.

I’m writing this column because of the life-imitating-art oddity that occurred during the first round of last week’s NFL draft. The actual rookie general manager at Jacksonville, James Gladstone, swung a trade with Cleveland to move up a couple spots and select Colorado’s Travis Hunter.

It was reminiscent of what happens in “Draft Day,” when Jacksonville’s Carson, played by Healy, makes a panicked trade with Costner and the Browns.

It was such a strong coincidence, even NFL guru Adam Schefter tweeted about it last week. So I had to hit up Healy to talk about how a film that didn’t even reach $30 million at the box office developed such an enduring legacy over the last decade.

Healy admittedly knows little about football. Although we did play 12-inch softball back in the day, athletics were never really his thing.

“When I read the script, I had to research everything,” Healy said. “The last time I paid attention to football was when the Bears won the Super Bowl. I didn’t even know the Jaguars were a team.”

Instead, through the decades he developed his acting chops at BGHS, Illinois State University and the Steppenwolf Theatre Company before making his mark in television and movies. You may not recognize the name Pat Healy, but I’m betting you’ve seen him in something among his 120 IMDB credits.

He spent several seasons as Michael Dixon on “Station 19” and had a juicy role in “Better Call Saul.” He worked with Steven Spielberg in “The Post” and Martin Scorsese in “Killers of the Flower Moon.” He added memorable performances in “Magnolia,” “Ghost World” and a bunch of cult classics.

But getting back to “Draft Day.”

Along with Scorsese and Spielberg, “Draft Day” director Ivan Reitman (“Stripes,” “Ghostbusters”) was on Healy’s bucket list for directors to work with on a movie.

Healy said Reitman was hard on him — in a good way — during the full day of shooting it took to nail his pivotal scene. As the Jaguars’ GM, Healy’s Carson is in a room full of co-workers (extras) and on the phone with Costner’s character trying to work out a trade under a pressure-packed deadline.

Only it wasn’t Costner on the phone, at least not live. Costner filmed his part of the scene earlier, so Healy spent the day reacting to the recording of Costner’s performance.

“I had to really work hard for that,” Healy said. “Part of it was the flop-sweat panic I had to be in the entire time. It was really about getting the intensity and the immediacy of what’s going on there.”

A long day completed on set in Cleveland, the film eventually came and went. But it grew in status through the years with every NFL draft day.

The legend of Vontae Mack. Who actually went to Bo Callahan’s 21st birthday party? Did Sonny ever buy Rick the intern a new laptop?

Whatever the reason, “Draft Day” has become synonymous with draft day.

“You really just focus on the work, so it’s interesting when something you work on stays with people,” Healy said.

Healy recently drove through Nebraska when someone approached him in a bar, clearly recognizing him. Just by the guy’s look, Healy knew it was about “Draft Day.”

Whether it’s “Compliance,” “The Innkeepers” or a handful of his other films or TV shows, Healy always has a sense of why people recognize him. “Draft Day” fans are no different.

Like me, many want to know how Jeff Carson could agree to that ridiculous trade with Sonny Weaver.

“It’s one of those scenes, for whatever reason, that people talk about a lot,” Healy said. “Every year around this time, I know I’m going to hear from people about that movie and that scene.”