3rd and Goal
Logline
Against all odds, the first female quarterback drafted into the NFL battles prejudices, the loss of a loved one, and self-doubt as she leads her longtime losing team in the quest for a playoff berth.
Synopsis
Jenna Ramey has lived and breathed football since she was born. She earns the starting quarterback position on her college team and leads them to a grueling bowl game win her senior year. While some of the men on her team will be picked up by the NFL, she is forced to realize there is no opening for her. She will need to coach if she wants to stay around the game.
Dave Wallace, owner of the Cincinnati Bengals, is willing to do anything to draw attention to his team. He follows Jenna’s football career and makes a daring decision - to draft her, but only as a media magnet. He never wants her to actually play because he feels she isn’t capable. Jenna has no idea of his true motives when she is picked up in the draft and sets off to train with her new team.
At training camp, she meets Coach Stanton, her head coach. He is against her presence and all of the problems it causes but his hands are tied. The team’s veteran QB, a 40-year-old Jonathan Hadley, hates the idea that a girl could take his spot. The only one who is initially accepting of her presence is fellow QB Todd Mannix. While he was drafted at the position, he prefers to play wide receiver and is very good at it.
At the first pre-season game, Stanton gives Jenna a chance and she bombs on the field. Now unsure that she has what it takes, her confidence takes a massive hit. She hangs out with Todd off the field and a romance blooms. As Stanton spends more time with Jenna, he starts to like her. She even talks him into moving Todd into a receiver position.
The team starts to adore Jenna, except for Jonathan. Then he receives a letter from his high school sweetheart before she dies of cancer, informing him that she had his baby after he went off to college, and Jenna is their child. Jonathan finally tells Jenna, upsetting her whole world after recently losing her dad at the season opener. In time, she starts to accept Jonathan, as none of what happened was his fault.
With Jenna at the helm, Cincinnati starts winning some of their games and takes a wild card berth. In the big game, Jenna shares the helm with Jonathan, the game to be decided by a Cincinnati field goal attempt. Although they miss and Jenna is injured while holding for the kicker, the team realizes they need Jenna as much as she needs them.
Dave Wallace, owner of the Cincinnati Bengals, is willing to do anything to draw attention to his team. He follows Jenna’s football career and makes a daring decision - to draft her, but only as a media magnet. He never wants her to actually play because he feels she isn’t capable. Jenna has no idea of his true motives when she is picked up in the draft and sets off to train with her new team.
At training camp, she meets Coach Stanton, her head coach. He is against her presence and all of the problems it causes but his hands are tied. The team’s veteran QB, a 40-year-old Jonathan Hadley, hates the idea that a girl could take his spot. The only one who is initially accepting of her presence is fellow QB Todd Mannix. While he was drafted at the position, he prefers to play wide receiver and is very good at it.
At the first pre-season game, Stanton gives Jenna a chance and she bombs on the field. Now unsure that she has what it takes, her confidence takes a massive hit. She hangs out with Todd off the field and a romance blooms. As Stanton spends more time with Jenna, he starts to like her. She even talks him into moving Todd into a receiver position.
The team starts to adore Jenna, except for Jonathan. Then he receives a letter from his high school sweetheart before she dies of cancer, informing him that she had his baby after he went off to college, and Jenna is their child. Jonathan finally tells Jenna, upsetting her whole world after recently losing her dad at the season opener. In time, she starts to accept Jonathan, as none of what happened was his fault.
With Jenna at the helm, Cincinnati starts winning some of their games and takes a wild card berth. In the big game, Jenna shares the helm with Jonathan, the game to be decided by a Cincinnati field goal attempt. Although they miss and Jenna is injured while holding for the kicker, the team realizes they need Jenna as much as she needs them.
