It’s been nearly 15 years since the final episode of NBC’s hit sports drama “Friday Night Lights” aired in 2011. Now, just months after the network revealed that a reboot of the series is officially in the works at Peacock, the show’s original cast have reunited to express their interest in leaving the football field for the beaches of Fiji on a future season of “Survivor.”
‘FNL’ Stars Pitch a ‘Survivor’ Season with All Early 2000s Actors
The news comes after actors Zach Gilford and Scott Porter – who respectively portrayed high school quarterbacks Matt Saracen and Jason Street on “Friday Night Lights” from 2006 to 2011 – reunited for PEOPLE’s Sexiest Man Alive issue earlier this week.
During their interview, which took place in a recreation of the Dillon Panther’s locker room, Porter and Gilford expressed their interest in competing on the Emmy-winning reality competition series.
Getty“I absolutely love ‘Survivor,’” said Porter, now 45, before Gilford, 43, echoed the sentiment.
“Oh, I’m still all in [on the series],” Gilford added. “I’d compete in a heartbeat.”
The “Friday Night Lights” duo then aimed their desire to compete on a future “Survivor” season directly at the show’s longtime host, Jeff Probst.
“Jeff Probst? These two right here,” quipped Porter before pitching a season entirely composed of teen drama alums from the early 2000s.
“This season on ‘Survivor,’ guys from the aughts!” suggested Gilford before adding that the cast of “FNL” would “wipe the floor” with stars from series like “One Tree Hill” and “The O.C.”
“And ‘Gilmore Girls,’” added Porter. “Game on, baby.”
While purely hypothetical, a season with a cast composed entirely of early aughts actors could be show-stopping, especially with stars like Chad Michael Murray and Adam Brody – both of whom appeared on multiple seasons of “Gilmore Girls” – on the roster.
Could Porter and Gilford Actually Land Spots on ‘Survivor’?
It certainly wouldn’t be the first time that “Survivor” has cast celebrities to take on what CBS refers to as “the ultimate adventure game.”
For example, Mike White, the Emmy-winning creator of HBO’s “The White Lotus,” made his “Survivor” debut on the cast of “David vs. Goliath” back in 2018. Despite his recent success outside the game, White is similarly set to return to the competition for its milestone 50th season next year.
Additionally, former Marvel Studios executive Nate Moore joined the cast of the show’s currently-airing Season 49 earlier this fall.
All that to say, there is no specific rule saying that established celebrities can’t appear on “Survivor,” though, according to Jeff Probst, they have to go through the same application process as the everyday civilians who appear on the show.
“There’s no secret passage way to getting on ‘Survivor,’” said Probst in a September 2025 interview with Entertainment Tonight.
While the host was referring specifically to “Big Brother” and “Amazing Race” star Rachel Reilly after she expressed interest in becoming the first contestant to compete on all three of CBS’s reality competition series, the sentiment applies to all celebrities who want to play “Survivor.”
“First, she’s gotta apply,” Probst told ET. “She’s gotta want it bad enough to send in a little 2 minute video and say, ‘Here’s why I should be on.’”
