David Corenswet had a big 2025, as the actor reached a new career height with the release of DC Studios’ Superman. And, earlier this year, the actor reprised his role as Kal-El/Clark Kent in Supergirl. Ahead of Corenswet’s upcoming superhero movie outing in Man of Tomorrow, he’s playing a different kind of hero. Corenswet is portraying late NFL player John Tuggle in the sports biopic Mr. Irrelevant, and the first trailer has arrived. The movie looks earnest enough, but one line of dialogue took me out of the trailer.
For those who are unaware, running back John Tuggle was drafted by the New York Giants in 1983 with the 335th (and final) pick in the draft, making him “Mr. Irrelevant.” Jonathan Levine’s film of the same name seeks to tell Tuggle’s story in a sentimental and inspirational way. The trailer does indeed succeed in giving off those vibes, yet a piece of dialogue spoken by Tuggle’s roommate made me chuckle a bit. When Tuggle first meets his roommate (and eventual friend), his roomie refers to him as “little man.”
The character’s comment, of course, refers to the fact that Tuggle isn’t as big as he is. However, it’s still somewhat wild to hear Tuggle referred to as “little man,” considering Corenswet stands at 6 feet 4 inches and doesn’t seem to be much shorter than the actor playing his buddy. What’s more is that during the scene, Tuggle says, “We weren’t all born 6'5" and 300 pounds.” I don’t know about any of you but, as can be seen in the trailer above, Corenswet is still relatively big from a physical standpoint.
But, to be fair, I completely understand why that bit of dialogue is in the script. This is, of course, a sports underdog story and, with that, Levine and co. are trying to drive home the point that the odds are stacked against Tuggle. Nevertheless, it just feels a bit funny, considering who’s playing the lead role. It definitely does not seem like Corenswet is around 238 pounds in this movie like he is in Superman. But, even with that lighter physique, he’s still quite imposing.
All of that aside, though, what can be said is that a sports biopic about John Tuggle feels long overdue. The late athlete’s story drew significant attention during the ‘80s, as he worked hard to land a spot on the Giants roster. He ultimately played with the team during the ‘83 season and mostly served on special teams before starting as fullback beginning with Week 12. Sadly, Tuggle was diagnosed with cancer during the ‘84 offseason and died at the age of 25 in 1986. Despite Tuggle no longer being with the team after ‘85, the Giants continued to pay for his health insurance, and they later honored him during their Super Bowl-winning season from 1986 to 1987.
Joining David Corenswet in the film adaptation of this story are Michael Shannon (who plays Giants coach Bill Parcells) and Isabel May (who plays Tuggle’s girlfriend-turned-fiancée, Kate). David Krumholtz – who recently put his acting career on hold – is also playing Julius "Whitey" Horai. What I’m particularly curious to see with this film is how Levine directs, especially since he’s been tapped to helm Tom Cruise’s Days of Thunder sequel.
Of course, that single piece of dialogue doesn’t speak to the quality of the film overall. This could end up being quite an enjoyable film and, believe it or not, it’s testing well with women amid early screenings. That could bode well for the movie and suggest that audiences are in for an exciting sports movie (which I typically enjoy) and an interesting examination of a man whose life was cut tragically short. I’m curious to see what the film has to offer and what David Corenswet brings to the role.
Check out Mr. Irrelevant when it opens on December 25 (Christmas Day) as part of the 2026 movie schedule.
