Glen Powell says stepping into the role of Russ Holliday in Hulu’s Chad Powers felt like living out a real gridiron moment, thanks to the help of former NFL pros.

“When I was actually on the field, it felt very immersive,” Powell told Deadline at the show’s premiere, held at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. “Because they also had former NFL players playing with us, putting on pads. Guys that are 350, 6’7, sprinting at me with everything they got.”

The Golden Globe nominee added that working with athletes who once played at the highest level brought an unexpected emotional layer. “It felt very much like Chad Powers in the fact that Russ Holliday is getting a second chance to be on that field; these guys got to put on pads and be back on that field with me. And you could see their eyes light up, and their hearts were full. It was really special.”

Powell co-created the series with Michael Waldron, with Eli and Peyton Manning on board as executive producers. The Mannings also connected Powell with Patrick Mahomes’ coach Nic Shimonek and Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator Pat O’Hara, who helped lend authenticity to the football sequences.

Chad Powers, adapted from the viral sketch by NFL Films and Omaha Productions that aired on ESPN+ as part of Eli’s Places, follows Powell’s character Russ Holliday, a disgraced college quarterback who reinvents himself as the mysterious Chad Powers in a bid to join a new team.

The comedy debuts September 30 on Hulu with its first two episodes.