Gavin "The Gray Ghost" Gray (Dennis Quaid), is a Louisiana football legend. There's never been a better, faster ball player, and everyone knows the hero is headed for pro football. To no one's surprise, Gavin marries his sweetheart, beauty queen Babs, who is at college majoring in "Gavin and me." He's a first-draft pick in the pros, as expected, and the two begin their family. Their seemingly ideal marriage begins to come apart, though, when Gavin is drawn away from his initial acceptance of his limited time on the gridiron and can't deal with the loss of the glory he had in his youth. From being an accessory to Gavin's life in the spotlight, Babs is now forced to find the strength to keep the family above water. Their journey is witnessed throughout the years by Gavin's nephew Donnie (Timothy Hutton), also known as "Cake," who seems to be the only one who can see what the limelight is doing to their once-idyllic love.