It's late in the season; the playoffs are fast approaching; and the Washington Sentinels have just gone on strike. Scrambling for a solution, the Sentinels' owner Edward O'Neil hatches a plan to bring in legendary coach Jimmy McGinty (Gene Hackman) to recruit a team of replacement players in exactly one week. For fans and owners alike, the strike is a disaster. But for Shane Falco (Keanu Reeves) and a mismatched crew of outsiders, it is the second chance they've waited their whole lives for.