Send me in, Coach De Niro

Robert De Niro in "Everybody's Fine." 

(Courtesy:  Miramax Films)

If published reports are correct, near-legendary actor Robert De Niro is huddling up to portray Vince Lombardi, the legendary late Green Bay Packers coach, in an upcoming ESPN Films biopic to be titled "Lombardi."

It's a project with impressive pedigree.

In addition to the names De Niro and Lombardi already attached, according to an article posted on the Hollywood Reporter Risky Business blog, the script is coming from "Forrest Gump" scribe Eric Roth.

“There are few actors who could accurately portray the fire, passion and grit of Lombardi, and we’re thrilled to have Robert De Niro on our team,” said NFL vp programming Charles Coplin in the Risky Business post.

According to the Web post, the film's focus will be on the years Lombardi rebuilt the Packers into an NFL powerhouse.  That would be between 1959 and 1967.

It's still early in the game, but the plan now is to release the film in late Jan. 2012, between the NFL conference championship games and the Super Bowl.