Synopsis
Rick Dockery is a third-string NFL quarterback for the Cleveland Browns, who throws three interceptions in 11 minutes in the AFC championship game, blowing a 17-point lead and resulting in the Browns missing their chance at their first-ever Super Bowl appearance. Carried off the field in a stretcher, he is cut from the team, vilified in the press, and faces additional legal troubles due to a questionable paternity lawsuit. His agent Arnie tries to find him work in the NFL, but no team will take him. Arnie manages to find him a starting position for the Parma Panthers of the Italian Football League for meager compensation. Rick accepts the job, glad to get away from the negative press and his legal troubles in the United States, but wary of living in Italy, where he doesn't know the language and where American football draws little attention. The Parma Panthers have only two other Americans playing on the team – halfback Slidell "Sly" Turner, who ends up leaving early in the season for family reasons, and safety Trey Colby, who later gets a season-ending injury. The Panthers head coach is American Sam Russo.
The Panthers win their first game with Rick, then lose a couple for various reasons, including the loss of Trey Colby to injury. Despite these problems, Italy and the team are growing on Rick, and he begins to feel some loyalty to them despite the fact that Arnie has found a more lucrative job offer with a CFL team. Rick decides instead to honor his contract with the Parma Panthers. With renewed resolve, a talented Italian wide receiver, and a new strategy, they win their remaining regular-season games, then advance to the playoffs and the Italian Super Bowl, winning a very close and hard-fought game against their rivals, the Bergamo Lions. Rick gets a new more lucrative offer from the Panthers for the next season, and while he is leaning towards staying in Italy with his new girlfriend Livvy and playing football for Parma, his latest concussion in the Italian Super Bowl gives him pause as to whether or not he should play again.
