The Underdoggs

The film opens with football star Jaycen “Two-J’s” Jennings (Snoop Dogg) reflecting on the pinnacle moments and troubling times of his career while hosting his podcast. Jaycen, a gifted player who was drafted directly from high school, saw his stardom skyrocket but ultimately suffered from his reckless behavior both on and off the field. As his performance declined, so did his fan support, leading to a sense of being washed up and forgotten.

In a moment of frustration, Jaycen storms into the office of his agent, Ryan Kauffman (Kal Penn), who is evidently trying to distance himself from Jaycen. Ryan informs Jaycen that his reputation has taken a significant hit, particularly when compared to Chip Collins (Andrew Schulz), a sports commentator who has relentlessly criticized him. Ryan urges Jaycen to reshape his public persona to boost his ratings, but Jaycen reacts with fury, shouting at Ryan and leaving in a huff. He even confronts Tony Gonzalez in a heated exchange before recklessly driving off, only for his car to be totaled in a collision with a bus.

Following this accident, Jaycen faces not only injuries but also a sentence of 300 hours of community service in his childhood hometown of Long Beach. To add insult to injury, the judge—who recognizes Jaycen—makes a public announcement of his return and his embarrassing community service task, picking up dog waste, before the entire neighborhood.

Fast forward five weeks later, Jaycen returns to Long Beach. He is nearly the victim of a gunpoint robbery by his childhood friend, Kareem (Mike Epps), who abruptly changes his demeanor upon recognizing Jaycen and greets him warmly. Jaycen begins his community service at a local middle school, where he attends a football practice with the “Green Team.” The kids mock him for his outdated outfit and the demeaning chore he must fulfill, which causes him to lash out in anger. Among the boys is Trey (Jonigan Booth) whose mother, Cherise (Tika Sumpter), works at the school and happens to be Jaycen’s ex-girlfriend. Cherise is understandably furious with Jaycen over his treatment of her son and the other kids.

Jaycen learns from Kareem that the team lacks a coach, perceiving this as a chance to redeem himself and reconnect with Cherise. Their first game against the formidable Colonels, coached by Chip, sees the Green Team performing poorly while Jaycen’s harsh critique demoralizes the players even further. Cherise chastises him for his insensitivity during a time when the boys are already feeling defeated.

Seeking guidance, Jaycen turns to his former mentor, Coach Feis (George Lopez), who encourages him to employ a “Jedi mind trick” to rally the team. Jaycen returns, motivated to inspire the kids by relating to them as fellow underdogs. He incorporates their interests into training—such as motivating Gary (Alexander Michael Gordon) to channel his love for “Game of Thrones” in his gameplay. Jaycen surprises the team with new jerseys, each bearing personalized nicknames: Trey becomes “Superstar,” Gary is “Drogon,” and Tony (Adan James Carrillo) receives the quirky nickname “Titties.”

As Jaycen grows closer to the kids, he emphasizes the importance of teamwork and respect. However, during practice, he discovers that Tony keeps his football activities hidden from his parents, who believe he is involved in Mathletes. He encourages Tony to be sincere about his passions, while also speaking to Dwayne (Caleb Dixon), advising him to embrace his humble beginnings living in a trailer park. In an unexpected twist, the team learns that one of their players, Ghost (Kylah Davila), is a girl, much to Cherise’s delight.

Jaycen invites the team to his grand home for a pool party, but things take a turn when Kareem inadvertently falls asleep on watch, allowing the boys to discover his beer stash. When Jaycen and Cherise return, they are met with chaos as the kids are misbehaving in the pool.

Later, during a practice session, Ryan calls Jaycen, revealing the good news that his involvement with the team has boosted his ratings, presenting him with the opportunity to host his own sports TV show. Unfortunately, the show’s taping coincides with the big game against the Colonels. The kids express their fear that Jaycen will abandon them, mirroring past experiences with prior coaches. Nevertheless, Jaycen insists that this opportunity is pivotal for his career, leading to disappointment from the kids and Cherise.

On the day of the taping, Jaycen finds himself seated with other prominent commentators such as Terry Bradshaw and Michael Strahan but soon feels an overwhelming sense of regret. He rushes back to the field just in time, delivering a passionate pep talk to inspire the team before game time. Initially, the Colonels dominate with an impressive lead, leaving Jaycen’s team scoreless. However, Trey’s motivating speech sparks a surge of energy among the players, uniting the crowd against the Colonels.

As the game progresses, the kids make a notable comeback, aided by Kareem’s dogs creating distractions for a biased referee. In a crucial moment, they pass the ball to Tony, but he narrowly misses scoring a touchdown, resulting in a heartbreaking loss for their team. Distraught, Tony breaks down in tears, but with support from his teammates, he is uplifted, and the audience begins to cheer for them. Jaycen, moved by their resolve, encourages the boys to honor the Colonels, but they vow to defeat them next year while he and Cherise appear to rekindle their relationship.

The closing text reveals that Snoop Dogg has established the Snoop Youth Football League, aimed at imparting values through football and teamwork. This initiative has successfully enrolled over 85,000 kids, with 20,000 moving on to college and 25 making it into the NFL.

Last Updated: November 22, 2024 at 19:16