A tight, dramatic NFL playoff game is exciting on its own, but two of the most dramatic in the same afternoon might result in the most compelling day in football history. This book is the first to capture the excitement and tension of December 23, 1972, when Pittsburgh played Oakland and Dallas met San Francisco in a pair of first-round playoff games that captivated millions. One game saw Dallas rally from three scores down in the fourth quarter, while the other featured the most famous ending in league history--the Immaculate Reception. This book details both high-stakes games as well as the historic season that led each team to the 1972 playoffs. Also covered are the men behind the miracles--some captured the moment to become heroes and legends, while others let success slip through their grasp. Two games, one afternoon, countless memories.

From the former executive director of the Pro Football Hall of Fame comes a sweeping and lively history of the National Football League, timed to coincide with the NFL’s 100th anniversary season. “I can think of no one better qualified—or more enthusiastic—to chronicle the National Football League’s century-long history than Joe Horrigan.”—Marv Levy, Hall of Fame NFL coach The NFL has come a long way from its founding in Canton, Ohio, in 1920. In the hundred years since that fateful day, football has become America’s most popular and lucrative professional sport. The former scrappy upstart league that struggled to stay afloat has survived a host of challenges—the Great Depression and World War II, controversies and scandals, battles over labor rights and competition from rival leagues—to produce American icons like Vince Lombardi, Joe Montana, and Tom Brady. It is an extraordinary and entertaining history that could be told only by Joe Horrigan, former executive director of the Pro Football Hall of Fame and perhaps the greatest living historian of the NFL, by drawing upon decades of NFL archives. Compelling, eye-opening, and authoritative, NFL Century is a must-read for NFL fans and anyone who loves the game of football. Advance praise for NFL Century “Joe Horrigan takes the reader on a delightful tour of the seminal moments of the NFL in the past one hundred years—the players, owners, coaches, executives, and historical events that made the game of football the most popular in America. It’s a wonderful walk down memory lane for any football fan, young or old.”—Michael Lombardi, author of Gridiron Genius “There is no one—and I mean no one—who knows more about the history of the NFL than Joe Horrigan, the heart and soul of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. As the gold standard of sports leagues celebrates its one hundredth season, it’s appropriate that the gold standard of sports historians has written NFL Century, an entertaining and educational journey.”—Gary Myers, New York Times bestselling author of Brady vs Manning

Showcasing one of professional football's best players, this book spotlights the life and career of gridiron great Tom Brady. More than just a biography, it relates Brady's story while also establishing his prominent place in NFL history. By examining his skills and statistics in a variety of categories and comparing him to other great quarterbacks-including Peyton Manning, Joe Montana, Bart Starr, Johnny Unitas, Roger Staubach, and more-the guide makes a strong case for Brady as football's best signal caller. Along the way, his best moments as a Patriot are revisited, from championship seasons and his favorite receivers to his relationship with legendary coach Bill Belichick. With detailed sidebars on Brady's celebrity status, fashion sense, much-talked-about hair, and supermodel wife, this is a must-have for faithful New England fans and pro football buffs alike.

A retrospective of 100 moments in the National Football League's history.

A tight, dramatic NFL playoff game is exciting on its own, but two of the most dramatic in the same afternoon might result in the most compelling day in football history. This book is the first to capture the excitement and tension of December 23, 1972, when Pittsburgh played Oakland and Dallas met San Francisco in a pair of first-round playoff games that captivated millions. One game saw Dallas rally from three scores down in the fourth quarter, while the other featured the most famous ending in league history--the Immaculate Reception. This book details both high-stakes games as well as the historic season that led each team to the 1972 playoffs. Also covered are the men behind the miracles--some captured the moment to become heroes and legends, while others let success slip through their grasp. Two games, one afternoon, countless memories.

Bill Belichick started collecting Lombardi Trophies like some people collect coasters and won his fourth Super Bowl title in 2015. No other NFL team has been as successful since Belichick became the Patriots' head coach in 2000, winning titles after the 2001, 2003, 2004, and 2014 seasons, along with Super Bowl appearances after the 2007 and 2011 seasons. But is Belichick the best NFL coach of all time? In Bill Belichick vs. the NFL, author Erik Frenz not only explains what separates Belichick from his peers and compares his accomplishments to some of the all-time legends, but tells why, if there were a Mount Rushmore of NFL coaches, Belichick's face would already be on it. From his upbringing as a coach's son to learning under Bill Parcells to creating his own coaching tree, he has established a new standard that may be unparalleled in football history.

"Perfect for football fans of all stripes, this dual-focus portrait celebrates the winning power of strong bonds between coach and player." —Publishers Weekly A rare, behind the scenes? look at the New Orleans Saints over more than 14 seasons In 2006, Sean Payton arrived in New Orleans as a relatively unknown first time NFL head coach. His task was daunting: resurrect a Saints team that had just finished 3–13 and had won only one playoff game in the previous four decades. Meanwhile, the city was undergoing its own staggering rebuild following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina five months earlier. Payton knew that to turn around the Saints' fortunes, he needed to turn around their dreadful quarterback legacy. The Saints targeted a San Diego Chargers castoff they hoped would become the new face of their franchise: Drew Brees. Every team in the NFL had passed on Brees at least once because of his surgically repaired right shoulder or his lack of prototypical size. But for the Saints, Brees was worth the risk. Together, these two underdogs rolled up their sleeves and got to work, helping rebuild the city as they transformed the franchise from laughingstock to Super Bowl Champions. What they have done since, including building the most productive offense the NFL has ever seen and setting multiple passing and scoring records, has only deepened their legacy in New Orleans and throughout the league. Based on more than 14 years of firsthand reporting and dozens of interviews with players, coaches, and executives,?Payton and Brees is the definitive account of how Sean Payton and Drew Brees transformed a team, a city, and the game of football.

A historical overview of how the game of football has evolved through the years and how the National Football League began.

As he did for his previous books, My Greatest Day in NASCAR and My Greatest Day in Golf, sports journalist Bob McCullough has crisscrossed the country interviewing legendary football players who are in the Hall of Fame for My Greatest Day in Football. In addition to asking about their greatest day, McCullough has expanded these interviews to include thoughts on their greatest college day, greatest opponent, and greatest teammate. The players include: Chuck Bednarik *Bobby Bell *Raymond Berry *Terry Bradshaw *Willie Davis *Frank Gifford *Bud Grant *Bob Griese *Jack Ham *Michael Haynes *Sam Huff *John Henry Johnson *Sonny Jurgenson *Leroy Kelly *Paul Krause *Steve Largent *John Mackey *Wellington Mara *Gino Marchetti * Bill Parcells *Pete Pihos *Lawrence Taylor *Gale Sayers *Bob St. Clair *Jan Stenerud *Don Shula *Bart Starr *Jim Taylor *YA Tittle *Paul Warfield With first-hand accounts from so many football greats, My Greatest Day in Football is the perfect gift for football fans everywhere.

The 73-0 NFL championship victory of the Chicago Bears over the Washington Redskins in December of 1940 was the most one sided game in the history. In this book readers will come to know the personalities, the personal history, and the personal commentary of the principles highlighted through contemporary and historical accounts. A dozen individuals who later were chosen for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, OH were involved in the game as owners, coaches, and players. Many names still familiar today like George Halas, George Preston, Sid Luckman, and Slinging Sammy Baugh are front and center. Red Barber called the action that day as the drama unfolded. Game preparation, the game, and its aftermath are all revealed and put into context with the era. This book concludes with a telling of what happens to the team and the key players in the years that followed.