Gerry Reimel has distinguished himself as one of NFL Films' most honored storytellers, earning 16 Sports Emmy Awards during a remarkable 35-year career crafting some of professional football's most compelling narratives and documentaries. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Language and Literature, Reimel brought a literary sensibility to sports filmmaking that helped elevate NFL Films' storytelling to an art form during his tenure as writer, producer, and director.
Reimel joined NFL Films during the transformative era when the organization was establishing itself as the most honored filmmaker in sports, contributing to the company's collection of over 121 Emmy Awards. As a senior producer, he specialized in both long-form documentary series and anthology programs, demonstrating versatility across multiple formats and platforms. His work appeared on HBO, NFL Network, CBS, Showtime, and other major broadcast networks, reaching millions of viewers with stories that transcended the game itself to explore the human drama behind professional football.
His notable productions showcased range and storytelling mastery: Inside the NFL on CBS and Showtime, earning Emmy Award for Outstanding Studio Show - Weekly in 2013 as segment producer; A Football Life documentary series beginning in 2011, chronicling the careers of NFL legends through intimate profiles; Hard Knocks: Training Camp, the groundbreaking HBO series that revolutionized behind-the-scenes sports access starting in 2001; NFL Game Day All Access beginning in 2019, providing unprecedented access to game-day operations; NFL Greatest Moments: The Green Bay Packers, serving as both director and writer to chronicle franchise's championship legacy from Curly Lambeau through Vince Lombardi to Aaron Rodgers era.
Reimel earned Sports Emmy Awards for Outstanding Edited Sports Series/Anthology in both 2010 and 2011, demonstrating sustained excellence in anthology programming. His work as segment producer on Hard Knocks helped establish the series' distinctive style of intimate access and character-driven storytelling that influenced sports documentaries across the industry. Beyond his Emmy-recognized work, Reimel contributed to countless NFL Films productions, bringing literary depth to sports journalism and helping shape how audiences understand and appreciate professional football.
Currently serving as senior producer at the National Football League, Reimel continues to work on major NFL Films projects while pursuing his passion for birdwatching, describing himself as a "pretty decent birder." His unique combination of classical education in literature and decades of sports production experience has made him one of the most respected figures in sports documentary filmmaking, with his Emmy-winning work representing the gold standard for storytelling in the genre.
