Tim McGraw, the country music legend and star of 1883, has officially tapped out of Netflix’s upcoming bull-riding drama. That’s right, the cowboy hat is staying on the shelf, and the spurs are staying in the closet. According to Deadline, Tim’s no longer saddling up, and the reason? It’s a doozy.
Apparently, McGraw’s back has decided it’s not a fan of all this yeehaw energy. The 57-year-old singer-slash-actor-slash-America’s cowboy heartthrob needs back surgery, which means downtime. Lots of it. And let’s be real: bull riding and back pain? That’s like mixing tequila shots with a mechanical bull. A disaster waiting to happen.
But wait, there’s more! This isn’t Tim’s first rodeo with the surgery circuit. Last August, he had both knees worked on—probably because decades of strutting across stages and playing cowboy heroes in TV shows aren’t exactly low-impact activities. He even had to cancel the rest of his 2024 tour dates to focus on healing. (Cue sad fiddle music.)
The Netflix series wasn’t just going to be a casual ride around the ranch, either. Oh no. Tim was set to play a “megastar champion” bull rider facing some sort of mid-life existential rodeo. There was drama, young fearless riders, secrets, past reckonings—you know, the works. Basically, Yellowstone meets 8 Seconds, but with more Netflix polish.
Now, the big question: What happens to the show? Will it move forward? Will they recast Tim’s role? Or will the project just get roped up and tossed into the Hollywood “what could’ve been” pile? As of now, nobody knows, but one thing’s for sure—Tim McGraw is taking a well-earned breather. And hey, maybe next time he can star in a Netflix show that doesn’t involve bucking broncos or other spine-testing stunts. Like, how about a cooking series? Tim McGraw: Barbecue King sounds like a hit waiting to happen.
For now, we wish Tim a speedy recovery—and hope his next gig involves less physical strain and more lounging with a guitar.
