Tony Danza Drops Out of Hallmark Channel’s New NFL Movie as Filming Begins

Just two days after Hallmark Channel announced the star-studded cast of its new NFL-themed rom-com, “Holiday Touchdown: A Bills Love Story,” TV legend Tony Danza has dropped out of the production.

Filming kicked off in Buffalo, New York, on May 19, 2025, with a cast that includes Hallmark star Holland Roden, “Shadowhunters” heartthrob Matthew Daddario, and “Family Ties” alum Tracy Pollan. But on May 21, Entertainment Weekly reported that Danza, 73, won’t be there due to a “last-minute scheduling conflict.”

The “Who’s The Boss” and “Taxi” alum has appeared in the Starz drama “Power Book III: Raising Kanan” for the last four seasons and is scheduled to perform his one-man show, “Tony Danza: Sinatra & Stories,” at New York City’s Café Carlyle from June 3 through 10, which may have conflicted with filming.

Joe Pantoliano to Replace Tony Danza in Hallmark Channel Movie

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Joe Pantoliano, known for playing Ralphie Cifaretto on the HBO mob drama “The Sopranos,” will replace Danza in the cast, according to Entertainment Weekly. Pantoliano will now take on the significant role of Uncle Tommy to Roden’s character, pediatric doctor Morgan Quinn.

The movie’s logline from Skydance Media says, “When Morgan learns from her Uncle Tommy that someone anonymously helped her family get by after he was drafted more than 60 years ago – and that he continues to receive a Christmas gift each year to this day – she decides to find his benefactor and give her uncle a Christmas he’ll always remember.”

Pantoliano’s casting will make for a mini “Sopranos” reunion, given that Steve Schirrpa was already part of the cast. Schirrpa, whose first Hallmark movie was February’s “Sisterhood, Inc.,” played Bobby Bacala on “The Sopranos,” which aired from 1999 to 2007. He’ll play a family member of either Roden or Daddario’s characters, per the logline.

Patti Murin Has Also Been Added to Hallmark Channel Movie

Publicized casting changes are rare for Hallmark movies, so Danza’s departure comes as a surprise, especially with filming underway. But it’s not the only change to the “Holiday Touchdown: A Bills Love Story” production.

Hours after the cast was announced, Broadway alum and Hallmark actress Patti Murin revealed she, too, was headed for Buffalo to join the cast. It’s not clear what role she’ll play, but she shared her excitement in multiple social media posts.

On May 21, she posted a photo of herself wearing a Buffalo Bills jacket, and wrote, “I’m in love with the city of Buffalo and this crew and this cast and this organization and I might cry when this one is over.”

The day before, she shared a photo of a swag bag full of fun items from the producers of the movie, Synthetic Cinema and Skydance, writing that she “just got to Buffalo and I am SO EXCITED to start #HolidayTouchdown!!!”

“Holiday Touchdown: A Bills Love Story” is a follow-up to the 2024 smash hit “Holiday Romance: A Chiefs Love Story,” starring Tyler Hynes and Hunter King. After the success of that project, which became the most-watched cable movie of the year, Hallmark and the NFL decided to team up again — this time for a movie centered around the Buffalo Bills. It’s expected to be one of Hallmark’s marquee films during the network’s 16th annual Countdown to Christmas programming slate later this year.