Zach Bryan has released a new music video for “Nine Ball” starring Matthew McConaughey, Tye Sheridan and Scott Shepherd. Directed by Matthew Dillon Cohen, the video presents a father-and-son’s journey in a small-town pool hall told across twenty years.

“Nine Ball” comes from Bryan’s 2023 EP, Boys of Faith. The five-track EP released in September, also contains collaborations with Noah Kahan and Bon Iver.

“Nine Ball” talks about how the father is struggling to get by financially. It starts off by saying, “My father wrote a check / that I bet his ass could never cash.” He tends to gamble at pool, and his son joins the family habit. He’s good at the game, so much so that they keep coming back to play. He’s so confident in his son’s winning streak that he watches him play from afar. “He’s sitting in the corner with a six pack of Corona / betting that his son’ll win again.” The son becomes older; he wants to try out other things like fishing and football. “Won’t you take me fishin’?” And I wanna try out / for the seventh grade football team.” Eventually, one bet goes too far and the father is seen having a fight with unwanted guests. The whole bar gets into a brawl. As they leave the bar, they are seen as they same age while they entered as if no time has passed.