Vince Papale is a down-on-his-luck substitute teacher in Philadelphia who, at the age of 30, was out of work, abandoned by his wife, and biding time as a part-time bartender when he decides to answer an open call for tryouts on the Philadelphia Eagles NFL football team in 1976. Going with his gut instinct, new coach Dick Vermeil rewards Papale's diligent efforts with a place on the team.

In South Boston, the state police force are waging a war on Irish-American organized crime. Undercover cop Billy Costigan is assigned to infiltrate the mob syndicate, which is run by gangland chief Frank Costello. Billy quickly gains Costello's confidence. Colin Sullivan is a hardened young criminal who has infiltrated the police department as an informer for the syndicate. Colin is rising to a position of power within the Special Investigation Unit....

Seven years after being forced to resign as a New York city police officer, private detective Billy Taggart takes on his toughest case yet when he's hired to follow the mayor's wife. By the time the mayor reveals his true intentions, Taggart's already in too deep, with his freedom and possibly his life, on the line. Taggart will risk it all in a desperate bid to expose the truth and seek redemption in a city where second chances don't come cheap.