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The Miami Sharks, a once-great American football team, are now in turmoil and struggling to make the 2001 Associated Football Franchises of America (AFFA) playoffs. They are coached by thirty-year veteran Tony D’Amato (Al Pacino), who has fallen out of favor with young owner Christina Pagniacci (Cameron Diaz), who inherited the team, and offensive coordinator Nick Crozier (Aaron Eckhart), who is expected to succeed D’Amato as head coach.
In the thirteenth game of the season against the Minnesota Americans, both the Sharks’ starting quarterback, Jack “Cap” Rooney (Dennis Quaid), and the second-string quarterback, Tyler Cherubini, are injured and forced to leave the field. The desperate Sharks call upon third-string quarterback and former seventh-round draft pick Willie Beamen (Jamie Foxx). Beamen is visibly nervous and makes a number of errors, illustrating his lack of knowledge regarding the team’s playbook. He vomits in the huddle, which begins a ritual that he follows every game. While the Sharks lose this game by a small margin, Beamen, despite his initial struggles, plays well and gains confidence.
During the next game against the Chicago Rhinos, Beamen quickly learns the team’s offense. Much to D’Amato’s chagrin, Beamen disregards the team’s conservative offense and changes the plays in the huddle, not realizing the disrespect this shows to his coaches. Beamen displays his raw athletic talent and starts to run and pass extremely successfully, leading the Sharks to the playoffs after winning three of the last four games of the season including a road win against the California Crusaders in Los Angeles. Beaman’s new-found success results in growing narcissism and arrogance. He becomes “Steamin’” Willie Beamen, the new poster boy for the AFFA, and receives lucrative advertisement deals, including a music video.
Beamen’s inability to handle his success leads to tension with players and coaches. D’Amato confronts Beamen to ask why he has been changing the plays. D’Amato demotes Beamen back to the bench while picking Rooney to lead the Sharks during the playoffs, telling Beamen just how far he still has to go to fulfill his potential as the team’s lead player. Beamen alienates the rest of the team to the point that he gets his car sawed in half at a party. Later, the Sharks are blown out at home in a game against the New York Emperors that could have given them home field advantage in the playoffs. Beaman contemplates and amends his self-centered behavior.
In the final game shown, Miami manages a come-from-behind win in the final seconds against the Dallas Knights, winning the first round of the playoffs. The final game sees Rooney return to start as quarterback. He plays strongly until being injured by a hit. His replacement, Beaman, apologizes for his actions in the huddle on the game-winning drive. Off-screen, Miami beats Minnesota for their conference championship, but then loses to San Francisco in the Pantheon Cup Championship 32-13.
At D’Amato’s final press conference as the Sharks’ head coach, he is thanked by owner Pagniacci for his contributions to the team. D’Amato is then expected to announce his retirement, but instead drops a bombshell and announces that he has been hired as head coach and general manager of an expansion team, the New Mexico Aztecs. He further infuriates the ungrateful Sharks owner by adding that he has signed Beamen to be his starting quarterback and franchise player, the Sharks having refused to extend Beamen’s expiring contract when they had the chance.
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