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 or respect. The Parma Panthers have only two other Americans on the team – halfback Slidell "Sly" Turner, who ends up leaving early in the season, and safety Trey Colby.
The Panthers win their first game with Rick, then lose a couple for various reasons, including the loss of his American teammates to homesickness and 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 more respected CFL team. Rick decides to honor his contract with the Parma Panthers. With renewed resolve, a talented Italian wide receiver, and a new strategy, they win each of their remaining regular-season games, then advance to the playoffs and the Italian Super Bowl, a very close and hard-fought game against their rivals, the Bergamo Lions.
Italian Football League (IFL) is the top level American football league in Italy established in 1980.
Jake Christopher Delhomme is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). Delhomme played college football at Louisiana, then known as the University of Southwestern Louisiana, before being signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent after the 1997 NFL Draft. Delhomme began his professional career as a practice squad player with the Saints in 1997 and 1998 and played in the NFL Europe for two years in between NFL seasons. Returning to the Saints, Delhomme played his first NFL games in 1999. Delhomme played as the Carolina Panthers starting quarterback from 2003 to 2009. Delhomme held many of Carolina's quarterback records until Cam Newton broke most of them. Delhomme led the team to Super Bowl XXXVIII in his first season with Carolina. After his departure from Carolina, Delhomme also played for the Cleveland Browns in 2010 and Houston Texans in 2011.
Antonio Bryant is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for University of Pittsburgh, and was recognized as an All-American and Fred Biletnikoff Award winner. The Dallas Cowboys picked him in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft, and he played professionally for the Cleveland Browns, San Francisco 49ers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the NFL.
Walter William Harris is a former American football player and coach. Harris served as the head football coach at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California from 1989 to 1991, the University of Pittsburgh from 1997 to 2004, and at Stanford University from 2005 to 2006, compiling a career college football record of 69–85.
Olindo Franco Mare is an American former professional football player who was a placekicker in the National Football League (NFL). He was originally signed by the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent in 1996. He played college football at MacMurray College and Syracuse. Mare, who was selected to the Pro Bowl in 1999, has also played for the Miami Dolphins, New Orleans Saints, Seattle Seahawks, Carolina Panthers and Chicago Bears.
Taylor Evans Stubblefield is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the wide receivers coach for the Air Force Falcons. He is a former wide receiver for the Carolina Panthers and St. Louis Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He left Purdue owning the most receptions in NCAA history. Stubblefield was most recently the wide receivers coach with the Toronto Argonauts. A three-sport athlete at A.C. Davis High School, Stubblefield committed to the Purdue University to play football for the Boilermakers. In his collegiate debut in 2001, he had five receptions for 65 yards. He led the team in receptions and was named to the All-Freshman Big Ten team by Sporting News. During his sophomore season, he finished with 77 receptions for 789 yards, but didn't record a touchdown catch. As a junior in 2003, Stubblefield earned second-team All-Big Ten honors at the conclusion of the season. In the 2001 Sun Bowl, he had nine catches for a Sun Bowl-record 196 yards. During the 2004 season, Stubblefield was a Biletnikoff Award finalist, earned first-team All-Big Ten honors and was named a consensus All-American. He finished his college career with an NCAA record of 325 receptions which he held for seven years, 3,629 yards, and 27 touchdowns. He was named to the Purdue Athletic Hall of fame in 2015 and was also named to the 75th Anniversary Sunbowl Team.
Eric Quinn Metcalf is an American former professional football player who was primarily known as a return specialist, but played running back and wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for the Cleveland Browns, Atlanta Falcons, San Diego Chargers, Arizona Cardinals, Carolina Panthers, Washington Redskins and Green Bay Packers. He was a three-time Pro Bowl selection for the Browns and the Chargers. He was also the 1988 US Track and Field Champion in the long jump and a two-time NCAA Champion in the same event at the University of Texas. His father Terry was a former running back for the St. Louis Cardinals.
Steve Nelson Broussard is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for the Atlanta Falcons, Cincinnati Bengals, and Seattle Seahawks. He has also served as a former assistant coach for several college football teams.
Jimmy Lee Smith Jr. is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys and Jacksonville Jaguars. He played college football at Jackson State University. With the Cowboys, he won two Super Bowls back-to-back over the Buffalo Bills.
The Parma Panthers are an American football team based in Parma, Italy that competes in the Italian Football League. The team was founded in 1981 by Vic Dasaro, an American veterinary student attending university in Parma.
Kris Durham is a former American football wide receiver. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the fourth round of the 2011 NFL Draft. He played college football at Georgia. Durham played in the National Football League (NFL) for the Seahawks, Detroit Lions, Tennessee Titans, and the Parma Panthers of the Italian Football League (IFL).
Mike Jenkins is a former German-born American professional American football cornerback. He played college football for the University of South Florida and was recognized as an All-American. He was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the first round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He has also played for the Oakland Raiders, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Arizona Cardinals.
Matthew Lytle is a former American football quarterback of the National Football League. He was signed by the Seattle Seahawks as a free agent in 2000. He played college football at Pittsburgh.
Taylor Tharp is a former American football quarterback for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL). He signed with the Carolina Panthers as an undrafted free agent following the 2008 NFL Draft. Tharp also played Arena football and in Italian Football League (IFL). He played college football at Boise State. He is known for designing the Statue of Liberty play, which gave Boise State the win in overtime of the 2007 Fiesta Bowl.
Tyler Grisham is an American football coach and former wide receiver who is currently the wide receivers coach at Clemson University.
Joshua Ricardo Norman is an American football cornerback who is a free agent. He played college football at Coastal Carolina and was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the fifth round of the 2012 NFL Draft. Norman has also played for the Washington Redskins, Buffalo Bills, and San Francisco 49ers, and was once considered to be among the best cornerbacks in the NFL. He also participated in the celebrity dancing competition show Dancing with the Stars, finishing as the runner-up of its 26th season in 2018.
Lawrence Godfrey "Trey" Burton III, is an American football tight end who is a free agent. He played college football for the University of Florida and was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted rookie free agent in 2014, and he won Super Bowl LII with the team in his final season with the Eagles, including helping execute the Philly Special. Burton also played for the Chicago Bears and the Indianapolis Colts.
Damiere Byrd is an American football wide receiver who is a free agent. He played college football at South Carolina and was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Carolina Panthers in 2015. Byrd has also been a member of the Arizona Cardinals, New England Patriots, Chicago Bears, Atlanta Falcons, and Carolina Panthers.
David Lee "Trey" Quinn III is an American football wide receiver who is a free agent. He played college football at LSU and SMU. Quinn was selected by the Washington Redskins with the final pick of the 2018 NFL Draft, making him that year's Mr. Irrelevant. He has also been a member of the Jacksonville Jaguars, Las Vegas Raiders, Denver Broncos, and Detroit Lions, and Michigan Panthers.
Stephen Sullivan is an American football tight end for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at LSU and was a part of their national championship win in 2020. In college he played wide receiver. He was drafted by the Seahawks in the seventh round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
