Him is a story about an athlete’s relentless commitment to being the best, and actor Tyriq Withers kept that same mindset in his preparation for the role. The latest film from Jordan Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions centers on Cameron Cade, a generational athlete whose career is impacted after he’s injured in a horrific attack.

Following his injury, Cade is invited by Isaiah White, the football GOAT (greatest of all time), for a rigorous boot camp that will set up Cade as his successor. However, as his training gets more sinister, Cade must decide if his dream is worth losing his humanity. The film also stars Marlon Wayans as White, and is directed by Justin Tipping.

Cade is not an actual NFL player, but does have similar career trajectories to prospects like Caleb Williams or Joe Burrow, who were seen as the next Tom Brady’s that could lead their teams to the promised land. While Withers does have some football experience, he needed to ensure he could pᴀss as a football prodigy, and underwent NFL training to transform for the role.

Tyriq Withers Worked With A Professional Quarterback Trainer To Prepare For Him

Withers is a rising actor in Hollywood, having previously starred in 2025’s I Know What You Did Last Summer. However, before he decided to pursue acting, Withers played football for Florida State University. He was a wide receiver for the Seminoles for the 2017 season, but decided to pursue a different direction for his career.

While playing college football, especially for a program like FSU, does lend some authenticity to his performance, Withers still needed to learn the ropes of playing quarterback. Throwing is harder than people may think, especially at the speed and accuracy required for an NFL QB. Speaking with ESPN, Withers said he thought the football aspect would be the easiest part.

“When I first booked this role, I thought the football aspect of the film would be a lot easier than being on a collegiate football team. But I came to find out real early that it was just as difficult.”

To prepare for the role, Withers worked with Jordan Palmer. Palmer is a seven-year NFL veteran who played QB for several teams, including the Cincinnati Bengals, Buffalo Bills, and Tennessee тιтans. Currently, he is the director of QB development for the XFL, and has trained many of the NFL’s best, including Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes, and Joe Burrow.

Rather than fly out to work with Withers, Palmer invited the actor down to his area, where he trained alongside prospects in the 2024 NFL draft class, including Dallas Cowboys’ QB Joe Milton III. The former NFL QB worked with Withers three days a week, refining his throwing skills, and teaching him the composure and necessary qualities a QB needs to succeed.

“Every day I challenged him: When you step on the field, nobody can mess with you,” Palmer told ESPN. “It’s not cockiness — it’s an aura great quarterbacks carry. … You can build confidence, you can manufacture it. It’s not hereditary, it’s not God-given.”

While Withers’ training was not nearly as sadistic as Cade’s experience in Him, it seems like Palmer didn’t go easy on him just because he’s an actor. He may not be NFL ready, but Wither’s training translated well into his performance.

Withers And Justin Tipping Were Inspired By Real Players And Their Experiences

Cade’s reality in Him is an exaggerated version of what many professional athletes experience. The sports horror film’s beginning portrays the immense expectations Cade faces as he strives to live up to his dad’s worldview, while also not wanting to disappoint his family. However, it also shows the harrowing dangers NFL players face as their bodies and heads constantly collide.

Football is America’s most popular sport, but audiences don’t often take into account the preparation and training players have to do to account for the damage and stress placed on their bodies. Him deals with this reality in disturbing ways, including X-Ray sH๏τs that highlight what happens when two players collide.

Tipping also addresses drug use through a mysterious substance Cade takes at White’s facility that quickly heals him. Speaking with The New York Times, Tipping said he had spoken with former running back Ricky Williams, who had taken marijuana for pain tolerance and was suspended by the NFL several times for violating its drug policy.

“I wanted to explore, on more of a macro level, what happens when the athlete becomes a commodity, as in the life of professional athletes where like your body is your only kind of capital.”

For Withers’ specific performance, he didn’t base it on a famous QB. He actually was inspired by running back Dalvin Cook. Cook played with him at FSU, and found success in the NFL with the Minnesota Vikings. Withers told ESPN that he was impressed by Cook’s humbleness, and wanted to mix that quiet composure into his performance.

“His quiet boldness… somebody so talented yet so humble, walking with a certain level of integrity — that’s what I wanted to steal for my character.”

Him is a fictional story, but deals with a reality that is authentic for many athletes. While the glory is amazing, it can be a strenuous journey to get there, and requires the toughness and dedication that many of the world’s best athletes possess.