| Director | Richard Martin |
|---|---|
| Budget | $11 million |
| Box office | $10.2 million |
In Fernfield, Washington, Josh Framm, now a teenager and a basketball player, becomes angry with his mother, Jackie, when she begins dating Patrick Sullivan, the town's new veterinarian. Patrick innocently tosses Josh's basketball-savvy dog, Buddy, a football one day. Josh discovers that Buddy also has an uncanny ability to play the sport of football. After his best friend Tom convinces Josh to sign up for football, Buddy plays on Josh's junior high football team, the Timberwolves. At first, the team is failing miserably, with the school intending to fire Coach Fanelli. Thanks to Buddy's excellent athletic skills and speed, however, the team has a streak of wins and makes the playoffs, advancing to the championship.
Meanwhile, two Russians, Popov and Natalya, kidnap Buddy in the hope of having him perform as the unique attraction in a Russian circus. At the same time, when Patrick proposes to his mother, Josh runs away. Coach Fanelli finds him at the train station and convinces him that just because Patrick is in his life now, he does not have to stop loving his father. Josh returns home, but Patrick and Buddy are gone.
The Timberwolves must play the championship game without Buddy and are losing terribly. With the help of a chimpanzee who is also held captive, Buddy escapes from Natalya and Popov. Buddy and the chimpanzee release all the other captive animals, and they escape. Popov and Natalya are ambushed by the chimpanzee, their former captive, in a warehouse. Following this, they chase after Buddy in a van, but Patrick rescues Buddy after he sees the fireworks that the escaping animals set off. Patrick and Buddy dodge the van, and Natalya and Popov crash into a bollard on the pier. They are subsequently arrested and placed into the custody of the Russian embassy.
Patrick then takes Buddy to the game. The team catches up, but Buddy is taken out of the game due to an injury. The Timberwolves are forced to finish the game without him. Due to efforts by Josh and Tom, the Timberwolves win the championship.
The following day, Josh stops Patrick from leaving and convinces him to stay with him and his family. A few months later, the family goes to a Seattle Seahawks game, where Buddy sneaks onto the field and catches the ball.