"The Longest Yard" begins with a former American football star, Paul Crewe, who is convicted of fraud and sentenced to prison. While incarcerated, Crewe is approached by a prison manager with the idea of forming a football team comprised of inmates to play against the prison guards' team. He agrees and begins assembling his team, which includes both friends and foes within the prison. The final match becomes a brutal battle not only between two football teams but also between freedom and dominance.