In 1925, an enterprising pro football player convinces America's too-good-to-be-true college football hero to play for his team and keep the league from going under.
A romantic comedy set against the backdrop of America's nascent pro-football league in 1925. Dodge Connelly (George Clooney), a charming, brash football hero, is determined to guide his team from bar brawls to packed stadiums. But after the players lose their sponsor and the entire league faces certain collapse, Dodge convinces a college football star to join his ragtag ranks. The Captain hopes his latest move will help the struggling sport finally capture the country's attention. Welcome to the team Carter Rutherford (John Krasinski), America's favorite son. A golden-boy war hero who single-handedly forced multiple German soldiers to surrender in The Great War, Carter has dashing good looks and unparalleled speed on the field. This new champ is almost too good to be true, and Lexie Littleton (Renée Zellweger) aims to prove that's the case. A cub journalist playing in the big leagues, Lexie is a spitfire newswoman who suspects there are holes in Carter's war story. But while she digs, the two teammates start to become serious off-field rivals for her fickle affections. As the new game of pro-football becomes less like the freewheeling sport he knew and loved, Dodge must fight to keep his guys together and to get the girl of his dreams. Finding that love and football have a surprisingly similar playbook, however, he has one maneuver he will save just for the fourth quarter.—Orange
In 1925, Jimmy "Dodge" Connelly (George Clooney) is captain of the Duluth Bulldogs, a struggling professional American football team (Pro football is a struggling game and not many athletes take it up post college). Bulldogs consist of Coach Frank Ferguson (Wayne Duvall), Bug (Nick Bourdages), Ralph (Tim Griffin), Curly (Matt Bushell), Big Gus (Keith Loneker) (the newest recruit). Suds (Stephen Root) is the sleepy local reporters who covers these games.
Dodge is determined to save both his team and pro football in general when the players lose their sponsor, and the league is on the brink of collapse. They lost their last game when they had to forfeit, as the home team has to provide the ball, and the one ball Duluth had was stolen by a boy paid by the rival team's coach. He convinces Princeton University's college football star (The college football league is thriving in contrast and has many star players and sponsors), Carter "the Bullet" Rutherford (John Krasinski), to join the Bulldogs (by offering him a salary ($5K per game) and a career in football), hoping to capitalize on Carter's fame as a decorated hero of the First World War (like Alvin York, he captured a large group of German soldiers all by himself). In addition to his legendary tales of combat heroism, Carter has dashing good looks and unparalleled speed and skill on the field. As a result of his presence (the crowds come in & Carter alone scores all the touchdowns), both the Bulldogs and pro football in general begin to prosper.
Chicago Tribune newspaper (led by Harvey (Jack Thompson)) reporter Lexie Littleton (Renée Zellweger) (who has been asked to cover the Carter story, as his colleague Mack Steiner (Max Casella) has alleged that the entire "hero" image of Carter is a sham) becomes the object of the affections of both Dodge and Carter. Lexie has been assigned to find proof that Carter's war heroics are bogus. Dodge and Lexie meet when Dodge had come to Chicago to meet Carter and found Lexie waiting for Carter's manager CC (Jonathan Pryce) in the hotel lobby.Dodge finds out (when Lexie was talking on the phone), that her mission is to expose Carter as a fraud. CC moves all Duluth games to proper university stadiums and Carter gets the team proper gear to play. CC has negotiated 10% of all of team's earnings.
One night, Carter confesses to Lexie that the surrender of the Germans was a lucky accident and that his role in it was more foolish than heroic. Carter and his platoon were in a trench, when Carter fell asleep, and his platoon moved on and trench was occupied by Germans. Carter woke up and realized the situation and decides to surrender, In German. But the German's think he is one of them and is surrendering to the US army. So, they all decide to surrender.
Carter soon discovers Lexie's agenda (CC overhears the hotel reception taking a message from Harvey, for Lexie) and is doubly hurt when he learns that Dodge and Lexie are starting to show affections for each other and even shared a kiss. The ensuing fight over Lexie's affections puts her off. Spurred on by the threats of Carter's manager CC, she decides to publish the story.The story sparks a firestorm of accusations and reprimands. CC resorts to shady dealing (he bribes Mack Steiner, who gives a press conference to say Lexie's story is a lie) to cover it up, even bribing the original witness to change his story.
Dodge's attempts to legitimize pro football take on a life of their own. The new commissioner of football Pete Harpin (Peter Gerety) appointed by the US Congress, formalizes the game's rules, taking away improvisational antics. In addition, the commissioner takes the responsibility of clearing up the Carter controversy to set an example for the new direction of professional football.With the whole world against Lexie (even the Tribune is pushing her to retract her story), Dodge concocts a clever ruse. Interrupting a private hearing in the commissioner's office, Dodge threatens Carter with a confrontation by his old army mates. Dodge claims that they are just outside the door, ready to congratulate him for his heroic actions. In truth, the men are Bulldogs in borrowed Army uniforms.
Carter confesses the truth. The commissioner frees Lexie from printing a retraction. Carter is ordered to simply say he got too much credit for his war actions but must give a hefty part of his paycheck to the American Legion. Carter's conniving manager CC is banned from football as well (for bribing Mack). Dodge is warned that if he pulls any old tricks to win the next game, he will lose his place in the league.
Dodge plays in one last game. This time it will be against Carter, who has changed sides from Duluth to Chicago. The rivalry for Lexie's affection spills onto the field.The game does not go well for Dodge, including how muddy the field is. Dodge decides football should be played without rules. Lexie notices that after a brawl, Dodge is missing and with most players covered in mud, no one can tell who is who. There appears to be an interception and Chicago seems to have won, but when the mud is removed it is seen that the player is none other than Dodge Connelly, who disguised himself as a Chicago player on the play. The play is changed from an interception to a touchdown, and the Bulldogs win.
Carter tells Dodge that Dodge is finished playing football, based on the threat the commissioner had made. He intends to tell the newspapers the real story about his "capture" of the German soldiers. Dodge argues that America "needs" heroes and it is implied the true story will not be told. Dodge and Carter part on good terms once again.After the game, Dodge meets up with Lexie and they ride into the sunset on Dodge's motorbike, discussing with humor the possibilities in their future, which include bankruptcy, scandals and jail time. During the end credits, pictures show Dodge and Lexie getting married, Carter donating $10,000 to the US military and Carter's former manager with new clients Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig.
Real-life basisIn an interview on the Late Show with David Letterman, Clooney mentioned the plot is loosely based on George Halas's signing of University of Illinois football star Harold "Red" Grange. Grange was signed to a contract with the Chicago Bears in 1925, the day after his final game at Illinois.The team itself is loosely based on the Duluth Eskimos. Clooney later explained that "We wanted to call them the Eskimos, but because we were drinking in the movie, the NFL said we couldn't use the actual names." The Canton Bulldogs was the first successful pro football team, which is why the Professional Football Hall of Fame is located in Canton, Ohio.
