Despite having previously won two AFFA (Associated Football Franchises of America) championships, head coach Tony D'Amato (AL PACINO), a man who's devoted most of his life to the game, is on the hot seat. His team, the Miami Sharks, has lost several games in a row and must win their remaining ones to make it to the playoffs.
The team's president and co-owner, Christina Pagniacci (CAMERON DIAZ), isn't particularly happy with D'Amato. Despite jointly owning the organization with her alcoholic mother, Margaret Pagniacci (ANN-MARGRET), after they inherited from the beloved former owner, Christina runs the show. As such, she and Ed Phillips (JAMES KAREN), the general manager, and Johnny Polito (GIANNI RUSSO), the vice-president, are more interested in the bottom line than in the game, players, or coaching staff and try to blackmail Miami Mayor Tyrone Smalls (CLIFTON DAVIS) into doing more for the team financially.
All of that's bad for D'Amato because with the injury of the team's veteran quarterback, Jack "Cap" Rooney (DENNIS QUAID) - whose wife Cindy (LAUREN HOLLY) won't stand for talk of him retiring -- Christina wants the young and charismatic third-string quarterback, Willie Beamen (JAMIE FOXX), to lead the team and turn their offense into a more exciting, and thus profitable, direction.
With the aid of offensive coordinator Nick Crozier (AARON ECKHART) and Montezuma Monroe (JIM BROWN), the team's tough defensive coordinator, D'Amato tries to ignore Christina and lead his team to victory. Yet, with Beamen's sudden ascension into star-status, a variety of complications set in.
As Beamen becomes more egotistical and less of a team player - which progressively infuriates his longtime girlfriend, Vanessa Struthers (LELA ROCHON), other players, such as Julian Washington (LL COOL J), the star running back, and Luther "Shark" Lavay (LAWRENCE TAYLOR), a veteran linebacker who continues to play despite the very real possibility of permanent injury, begin to despise him.
The complications continue to mount as the team's orthopedist, Dr. Harvey Mandrake (JAMES WOODS), agrees to help Christina no matter the related potential risks to the team's players - a point that stirs up suspicion and disbelief in Dr. Ollie Powers (MATTHEW MODINE), the team internist. D'Amato must also contend with Jack Rose (JOHN C. McGINLEY), a colorful sportswriter and TV anchor who blames most of the Sharks' problems on the coach.
With D'Amato trying to relieve the building pressure by hitting the bottle or enjoying the company of a young woman, Mandy (ELIZABETH BERKELY), he pulls out every coaching trick he knows to keep the owner of his back, his team motivated, and win enough games to take them to the playoffs.