Tim McGraw In League With NFL

Tim McGraw performs onstage during the 42nd Annual Academy Of Country Music Awards held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 15, 2007 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Frank Micelotta./ACMA/Getty Images for ACMA)

Aug. 6, 2009 — Tim McGraw grew up in New Orleans Saints territory and lives in the hometown of the Tennessee Titans, but now he’s got connections to the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens. He’ll have plenty of National Football Leagues teams competing for his attentions this year.

Tim is on tap Sept. 10 to perform during the NFL’s Kickoff Party before the first regular season game at Pittsburgh’s Heinz Field, when the Titans play the hometown Steelers. According to Country Aircheck, he’s planning to perform at least one song from his Southern Voice album, due Oct. 20.

The NFL tie is particularly appropriate given his role in the movie The Blind Side. In the picture, Tim portrays Sean Touhy, a Memphis sports announcer whose wife, played by Sandra Bullock, brings in an over-sized homeless African-American youth named Michael Oher to live with them in their posh neighborhood. The suburban home is a stark contrast to his inner-city roots: The boy’s father was killed and his biological mother was a crack addict. Based on a true story, it’s incredible drama — especially since the real-life Michael was the Ravens’ first-round pick in the NFL draft this year and looks to get significant playing time.

The trailer shows Tim’s character to be a completely different guy than the alcoholic football father he played in his first movie, Friday Night Lights. The film hits theaters Nov. 20. Watch the trailer:

In the meantime, Tim’s signed on to perform at Halfway To Hazard’s second annual Charity Trail Ride in rural Crockettsville, Ky. He joins Dierks Bentley, James Otto, Keith Anderson, Danielle Peck, Gabe Garcia and Krista Marie among the acts slated to perform and/or join the motorcycle ride during the two-day benefit, Aug. 22-23.

Halfway To Hazard, a duo featuring Chad Warrix and David Tolliver, plans to release its sophomore album before the end of the year on Tim’s StyleSonic label.