Jerry Maguire (Tom Cruise) is a glossy 35-year-old sports agent working for Sports Management

International (SMI). After experiencing a life-altering epiphany about his role as a sports agent, he
writes a mission statement about perceived dishonesty in the sports management business and his
desire to work with fewer clients to produce a better personal relationship with them. In turn, SMI
management decides to send Bob Sugar (Jay Mohr), Jerry's protégé, to fire him. Consequently,
Jerry and Sugar each call all of Jerry's clients to try and convince them not to hire the services of the
other. Jerry speaks to Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Rod Tidwell (Cuba Gooding Jr.), one of his
clients who is disgruntled with his contract. He needs a $10 million contract for his family to live on.
Jerry informed him if he gets injured for the season, he will get no money from the Cardinals. Rod
tests Jerry's resolve through a very long telephone conversation, while Sugar is able to persuade the
rest of Jerry's clients to stick with SMI instead.
Leaving the office, Jerry announces that he will start his own agency and asks if anyone is willing to
join him, to which only 26-year-old single mother Dorothy Boyd (Renée Zellweger) agrees.
Meanwhile, Frank "Cush" Cushman (Jerry O'Connell), a superstar quarterback prospect who
expects to be the number one pick in the NFL Draft, initially also stays with Jerry after he makes a
visit to the Cushman home. However, Sugar is able to persuade Cushman and his father to sign with
SMI over Jerry the night before the draft. Cushman's father implies they decided to sign with Sugar
over Jerry due to Tidwell's race, stating they signed while Jerry was "in the lobby with the black
fella".
After an argument, Jerry breaks up with his disgruntled fiancée Avery (Kelly Preston). He then turns
to Dorothy, becoming closer to her young son, Ray (Jonathan Lipnicki), and eventually starts a
relationship with her. Dorothy contemplates moving to San Diego as she has a secure job offer
there; however, she and Jerry agree to get married. Jerry concentrates all his efforts on Rod, now
his only client, who turns out to be very difficult to satisfy ("Show me the money"). Over the next
several months, the two direct harsh criticism towards each other with Rod claiming that Jerry is not
trying hard enough to get him a contract while Jerry claims that Rod is not proving himself worthy of
the money for which he asks; one point of contention is that Rod is not very likable and comes
across as aloof from the fans. Rod takes Jerry's advice to prove he is worthy of his contract. Rod is
playing well and his team is winning. Meanwhile, Jerry's marriage with Dorothy gradually
deteriorates and they eventually separate.
During a Monday Night Football game between the Cardinals and the Dallas Cowboys, Rod plays
well but appears to receive a serious injury when catching a winning touchdown, securing a spot for
the Cardinals in the playoffs. He recovers, however, and dances for the wildly cheering crowd.
Afterwards, Jerry and Rod embrace in front of other athletes and sports agents and show how their
relationship has progressed from a strictly business one to a close personal one, which was one of
the points Jerry made in his mission statement. He then flies back home to meet Dorothy, telling her
that he loves her and wants her in his life, which she accepts, uttering "You had me at hello." Rod
later appears on Roy Firestone's sports show. Unbeknownst to him, Jerry has secured him an $11.2
million contract with the Cardinals allowing him to finish his pro football career in Arizona. The visibly
emotional Rod proceeds to thank everyone and extends warm gratitude to Jerry. Jerry speaks with
several other pro athletes, some of whom have read his earlier mission statement and respect his
work with Rod.
The movie ends with Ray throwing a baseball up in the air, surprising Jerry, who then discusses
Ray's possible future career in the sports industry with Dorothy.