Tim Riggins, how we miss thee and those luscious dirty blonde locks! Friday Night Lights premiered eight years ago this month, and because we were feeling sentimental, Us Weekly sidelined with Taylor Kitsch at the GQ x Lacoste Sport Pop Up event in NYC on Thursday, Oct. 23, to discuss the fan-favorite sports drama (a.k.a. the best show of all time!).
Reunion buzz often follows the NBC cast, but Kitsch, 33, continues to stick with the notion that a film would just ruin how Coach Taylor and the team said goodbye. “It really does feel like forever ago,” he told Us, noting that he doesn’t watch the series on Netflix.
Dry those tears though, Panthers! For “Texas Forever!” continues to ring true for Kitsch. After all, the actor moved to Austin, TX, after filming wrapped. “They’re so gracious there,” he told Us of fans down south. “Super fans.”
How so? FNL die-hard fans also “sometimes” recite those six magical words to Kitsch when they see him in town…
“Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.”
Kitsch revisited his Dillon, Texas days in more detail, revealed which cast members he’s stayed close to since retiring his No. 33 jersey, and the Panther moments that have stuck with him since walking off the football field for the last time. Check out what he told Us:
Us Weekly: Do you have a favorite FNL memory?
Taylor Kitsch: That’s impossible to answer. Oh my God. The last scene was pretty incredible for everybody. We had the whole crew and people who had been there the last five years. That was a very heavy one. And there’s so many good memories. Really. We were incredibly spoiled on that show. Riggins’ last game was tough. That was a big day. Those are the good memories I have.
US: Did you keep any Riggins memorabilia?
TK: Oh yeah! I have all my jerseys. I have a piece of his locker that was gifted to me. What else do I have?
US: Do you ever whip out the jersey for old times’ sake?
TK: No, that’d be a bit creepy! They’re literally just hanging in my closet. I actually gave one of them to my best friend.
US: Connie Britton told Us you keep in touch. Who else are you close to from the Panthers?
TK: Very much! Derek Phillips is still one of my close friends. He played my brother. Kyle [Chandler], of course. We’re still really close. [Jesse] Plemons, [Scott] Porter. A lot of those guys. I haven’t seen Porter since his wedding, but Derek and I ride motorcycles all the time together, so I see Derek a lot. I hang out with Peter Berg. He’s one of my best friends and we have done three movies together since.
Friday Night Lights aired from Oct. 3, 2006 to July 15, 2011. It’s been a dark time ever since.
