Books Written by (or about) Super Bowl Winners
Books Written by (or about) Super Bowl Winners
What is the Super Bowl?
The Super Bowl is the annual championship game of the National Football League (NFL), the highest level of professional American football in the United States. It is the culmination of the NFL season, where the champions of the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC) face off to determine the league champion. Here are some key points about the Super Bowl:
Significance: The Super Bowl is one of the most-watched sporting events in the world, known for its high stakes, spectacular halftime shows, and prominent commercials.
History: The first Super Bowl was played on January 15, 1967, originally called the AFL-NFL World Championship Game, before being officially named the Super Bowl. It was a matchup between the champions of the American Football League (AFL) and the National Football League (NFL), which merged in 1970.
Trophy: The winning team is awarded the Vince Lombardi Trophy, named in honor of the legendary Green Bay Packers coach who led his team to victories in the first two Super Bowls.
Venue: The Super Bowl is held in a different city each year, often in stadiums with large seating capacities and in locations that can accommodate the influx of fans and media.
Date: Traditionally, the Super Bowl is played on the first Sunday in February.
Cultural Impact: Besides the game itself, the Super Bowl is famous for its entertainment, including the national anthem performance, the halftime show featuring major musical acts, and commercials that often debut during the broadcast and become cultural talking points.
Economic Impact: The Super Bowl generates significant economic impact for the host city due to tourism, local spending, and global attention.
Viewership: The game consistently draws massive television audiences, with millions of viewers tuning in from around the world.
The Super Bowl has grown into a cultural phenomenon, with its significance extending beyond sports to include entertainment, marketing, and social gatherings.
What is American Football?
American football is a popular team sport known for its physicality, strategy, and complex rules. Here's an overview of the key aspects of American football:
Basic Structure
Teams: Each team consists of 11 players on the field at a time, divided into offensive, defensive, and special teams units.
Objective: The primary goal is to score points by advancing the football into the opponent's end zone for a touchdown or by kicking the ball through the opponent's goalposts for a field goal.
Gameplay
Field: The game is played on a rectangular field that is 100 yards long and 53.3 yards wide, with two end zones at each end.
Game Duration: A game is divided into four 15-minute quarters, with a halftime break after the second quarter. If the game is tied at the end of regulation, overtime periods may be played to determine the winner.
Starting the Game: The game begins with a kickoff, where one team kicks the ball to the other.
Downs System: The offensive team has four downs (plays) to advance the ball at least 10 yards. If successful, they earn a new set of downs. If they fail, the other team gains possession.
Plays: Plays are initiated with a snap, where the ball is passed from the center to the quarterback. The quarterback can then hand off, pass, or run with the ball.
Scoring:
Touchdown (6 points): Achieved by carrying the ball into the opponent's end zone or catching a pass in the end zone.
Field Goal (3 points): Scored by kicking the ball through the opponent's goalposts.
Extra Point (1 or 2 points): After a touchdown, the scoring team can attempt an extra point by kicking the ball through the goalposts (1 point) or by running/passing the ball into the end zone from the 2-yard line (2 points).
Safety (2 points): Awarded to the defensive team if they tackle the offensive team in their own end zone.
Positions
Offense: Key positions include the quarterback (leader of the offense), running backs (rushers), wide receivers (pass catchers), tight ends (blockers and receivers), and offensive linemen (blockers).
Defense: Key positions include defensive linemen (rushers), linebackers (tacklers and coverage), cornerbacks (pass defenders), and safeties (deep coverage).
Special Teams: Involves players who participate in kickoffs, punts, field goals, and extra point attempts.
Rules and Penalties
Rules: Govern aspects like how the ball can be advanced, what constitutes a legal play, and how to tackle opponents.
Penalties: Infractions like holding, offsides, and pass interference result in penalties, which can move the ball forward or backward depending on the infraction.
Leagues and Competitions
NFL (National Football League): The premier professional league in the United States, consisting of 32 teams divided into two conferences (AFC and NFC).
College Football: Governed by the NCAA, it features teams from universities and colleges, with significant fan followings and traditional rivalries.
High School Football: Played at the secondary school level, also very popular across the U.S.
Cultural Impact
Popularity: American football is one of the most popular sports in the United States, with a massive following at professional, college, and high school levels.
Super Bowl: The NFL's championship game, which is a major cultural event, drawing massive TV audiences and featuring high-profile halftime shows and commercials.
American football is a dynamic and strategic sport that combines physical skill, tactical planning, and teamwork, making it a thrilling and engaging game for players and fans alike.
Why read about Super Bowl Winners?
Regardless of your interest in American football hall of fame or the Super Bowl, reading about Super Bowl winners and football greats can be fascinating for a variety of reasons. These stories often transcend the sport itself, offering insights into perseverance, leadership, teamwork, and personal growth. Here are some reasons why these narratives can be compelling:
1. Human Interest and Inspirational Stories
Super Bowl winners and football legends often have personal journeys filled with obstacles and triumphs. Their stories of overcoming adversity, injury, and personal challenges can be deeply inspirational. For instance, Drew Brees' comeback from a career-threatening shoulder injury to win a Super Bowl is a tale of resilience and determination that resonates beyond sports.
2. Leadership and Teamwork
Football is a team sport that relies heavily on coordination, strategy, and leadership. Reading about great quarterbacks like Tom Brady or coaches like Vince Lombardi provides valuable lessons in leadership, decision-making, and the importance of working as a cohesive unit. These principles are applicable in business, education, and various aspects of life.
3. Cultural Impact
The Super Bowl is a major cultural event in the United States, influencing advertising, music, fashion, and more. Understanding the stories behind Super Bowl winners gives insight into this cultural phenomenon and its impact on society. The halftime shows, commercials, and national anthems often reflect broader societal trends and changes.
4. Historical Significance
Football greats and their achievements are part of sports history. The evolution of the game, landmark victories, and legendary performances are significant historical moments. Reading about figures like Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, or the undefeated 1972 Miami Dolphins provides a glimpse into the history of American sports and its development over the decades.
5. Psychological Insights
The mental toughness required to succeed at the highest levels of football offers intriguing psychological insights. Understanding the mindset of champions, how they handle pressure, setbacks, and maintain focus can be enlightening. These stories often highlight the importance of mental resilience and the psychological strategies that can be applied to various life challenges.
6. Socio-Economic Perspectives
Many football greats come from diverse and sometimes challenging socio-economic backgrounds. Their stories often shed light on broader issues of social mobility, education, and community impact. For example, players who use their platform for philanthropy and social justice, like Colin Kaepernick or Malcolm Jenkins, provide a perspective on the intersection of sports and societal issues.
7. Dramatic Narratives
Football games, particularly Super Bowls, are often filled with drama, unexpected twists, and last-minute heroics. The narratives of these games can be as thrilling as any novel or movie. Books that recount famous games, like David Tyree's "Helmet Catch" or the "Philly Special" in Super Bowl LII, offer exciting and memorable stories.
8. Strategic and Analytical Thinking
The strategy and planning that go into football games are complex and intellectually stimulating. Reading about how coaches like Bill Belichick or players like Peyton Manning prepare for games can provide insights into strategic thinking, analysis, and problem-solving that are applicable in various fields.
In essence, the stories of Super Bowl winners and football greats offer more than just sports entertainment. They provide a rich tapestry of human experiences, valuable life lessons, and cultural insights that can be appreciated by anyone, regardless of their interest in football.
Books Written by (or about) Super Bowl Winners
"All Things Possible" by Kurt Warner
NFL sensation Kurt Warner tells the incredible story of faith and perseverance that captured the hearts of millions and rocketed him from obscurity to become MVP and Super Bowl champion.
"Quiet Strength" by Tony Dungy
Tony Dungy's words and example have intrigued millions of people, particularly following his victory in Super Bowl XLI, the first for an African American coach. How is it possible for a coach―especially a football coach―to win the respect of his players and lead them to the Super Bowl without the screaming histrionics, the profanities, and the demand that the sport come before anything else? How is it possible for anyone to be successful without compromising faith and family? In this inspiring and reflective memoir, now updated with a new chapter, Coach Dungy tells the story of a life lived for God and family―and challenges us all to redefine our ideas of what it means to succeed.
"Coming Back Stronger: Unleashing the Hidden Power of Adversity" by Drew Brees
When a potentially career-ending shoulder injury left quarterback Drew Brees without a team―and facing the daunting task of having to learn to throw a football all over again―coaches around the NFL wondered, Will he ever come back? After Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, leaving more than 80 percent of the city underwater, many wondered, Will the city ever come back? And with their stadium transformed into a makeshift refugee camp, forcing the Saints to play their entire 2005 season on the road, people questioned, Will the Saints ever come back? It takes a special person to turn adversity into success and despair into hope―yet that is exactly what Super Bowl MVP Drew Brees has done―and with the weight of an entire city on his shoulders. Coming Back Stronger is the ultimate comeback story, not only of one of the NFL’s top quarterbacks, but also of a city and a team that many had all but given up on. Brees’s inspiring message of hope and encouragement proves that with enough faith, determination, and heart, you can overcome any obstacle life throws your way and not only come back, but come back stronger.
"Relentless: My Life in Football" by Julian Edelman
The Super Bowl champion wide receiver for the New England Patriots shares his inspiring story of an underdog kid who was always doubted to becoming one of the most reliable and inspiring players in the NFL.
When the Patriots were down 28-3 in Super Bowl LI, there was at least one player who refused to believe they would lose: Julian Edelman. And he said so. It wasn't only because of his belief in his teammates, led by the master of the comeback, his friend and quarterback Tom Brady-or the coaching staff run by the legendary Bill Belichick. It was also because he had been counted out in most of his life and career, and he had proved them all wrong.
Whether it was in Pop Warner football, where his Redwood City, California, team won a national championship; in high school where he went from a 4'10", 95-pound freshman running back to quarterback for an undefeated Woodside High team; or college, where he rewrote records at Kent State as a dual-threat quarterback, Edelman far exceeded everyone's expectations. Everyone's expectations, that is, except his own and those of his father, who took extreme and unorthodox measures to drive Edelman to quiet the doubters with ferocious competitiveness.
When he was drafted by the Patriots in the seventh round, the 5'10" college quarterback was asked to field punts and play wide receiver, though he'd never done either. But gradually, under the tutelage of a demanding coaching staff and countless hours of off-season training with Tom Brady, he became one of the NFL's most dynamic punt returners and top receivers who can deliver in the biggest games.
"Brady vs Manning: The Untold Story of the Rivalry That Transformed the NFL" by Gary Myers (focuses on Tom Brady and Peyton Manning)
Tom Brady and Peyton Manning are perhaps the two greatest quarterbacks of all time. They are living legends who have come to embody the quarterback position and shape an entire generation of the NFL. They have also been fierce rivals every step of the way, and their many epic duels have not only ranked among the best and most exciting games ever played, they have fundamentally shaped the lives of and careers of both men.
But for all their shared brilliance, they are a study in contrasts. Tom is the underdog turned ultimate winner, an unheralded draft pick who went on to win a miraculous Super Bowl and become the leader of one of the NFL’s greatest dynasties. He is as firmly associated with big game brilliance as anyone who has ever played. Meanwhile Peyton was born into NFL royalty and a mountain of outsized expectations, yet somehow lived up to and exceeded all the hype, claiming virtually every passing record along his path to football immortality.
The contrast in greatness—between the overachieving underdog and the crown prince of football, between postseason brilliance and statistical dominance—has served as an endless source of fascination for fans and media, and over the years as the two players have faced off again and again in classic games, the argument has only intensified.
But until now, there has never been a definitive treatment of the debate that tells the real story.
What do Tom and Peyton actually think of each other? What do their coaches think of them? What about teammates and opposing players? What are they like behind closed doors and in the locker room, and how does that influence their careers? How did their vastly different upbringings shape them, and how has each handled the injuries, setbacks and defeats they’ve dealt with over their careers?
In this extraordinary book, veteran NFL correspondent Gary Myers tackles this subject from every angle and with unprecedented access and insight, drawing on a huge number of never-before-heard interviews with Brady and Manning, their coaches, their families, and those who have played with them and against them. The result is a remarkable collection of the most entertaining and revealing stories ever told about Peyton and Tom, from how they developed their vastly different leadership styles, to the unlikely friendship they’ve built over the years, to their respective exploits as locker room pranksters.
Wake Up Happy: The Dream Big, Win Big Guide to Transforming Your Life by Michael Strahan
Michael Strahan won Super Bowl XLII with the Giants in 2007.
From America’s favorite football player turned morning talk show host—a man who makes just about everything look easy—a mélange of stories and motivational advice to inspire the reader to turn up the heat and go from good to great in pursuit of their personal ambitions.
QB: My Life Behind the Spiral by Steve Young
Steve Young is a 3× Super Bowl champion (XXIII, XXIV, XXIX)
Steve Young produced some of the most memorable moments in NFL history. But his most impressive victories have been deeply personal ones that were won when no one was watching. His remarkably revealing memoir is the story of a Mormon boy with a 4.0 GPA, a photographic memory, and a severe case of separation anxiety.
Son of Bum: Lessons My Dad Taught Me About Football and Life by Vic Carucci and Wade Phillips
Wade Phillips was the defensive coordinator for the Denver Broncos when they won Super Bowl 50 in 2016.
In his memoir Son of Bum, decorated NFL coach Wade Phillips shows that the roots of his knowledge come from his father, Bum Phillips. A beloved character in NFL history, Bum taught Wade from the beginning that “coaching isn’t bitching,” as well as how to have perspective on the game during tough times. These are lessons that apply both on the field and off, and Wade has passed this wisdom down to his son, Wes Phillips, an NFL coach himself.
It's Good to Be Gronk by Jason Rosenhaus and Rob Gronkowski
Rob Gronkowski is a 2× Super Bowl champion (XLIX, LI)
From the publisher: Rob “Gronk” Gronkowski holds nine league-wide records and three Patriots franchise records. His accomplishments include thirty-eight receiving touchdowns in his first three seasons (thirteen more than any other tight end in the NFL) and the 2011 record for most touchdowns made by a tight end, with seventeen receiving and eighteen overall. With a Super Bowl victory under his belt and a nationwide reputation for a personality that’s “comedy gold” (CBS Sports), he has continued to win the hearts of fans through his fun-loving attitude.
Gunslinger: The Remarkable, Improbable, Iconic Life of Brett Favre by Jeff Pearlman
Brett Favre and the Packers won Super Bowl XXXI in 1997.
In Gunslinger, Jeff Pearlman tells Brett Favre’s story for the first time, charting his unparalleled journey from a rough rural childhood and lackluster high school football career to landing the last scholarship at Southern Mississippi, to a car accident that nearly took his life, and eventually to the NFL and Green Bay, where he restored the Packers to greatness and inspired a fan base as passionate as any in the game. Yet he struggled with demons: addiction, infidelity, the loss of his father, and a fraught, painfully prolonged exit from the game he loved, a game he couldn’t bear to leave.
Tom Brady: The Inspiring Story of One of Football’s Greatest Quarterbacks by Clayton Geoffreys
In this 2020 newly revised edition of Tom Brady: The Inspiring Story of One of Football’s Greatest Quarterbacks, you'll read about the inspirational story of football’s star, Tom Brady through the end of his last season with the New England Patriots. This unauthorized biography of Tom Brady highlights the greatest moments of his career. Since entering the league with a chip on his shoulder, Tom Brady has cemented himself as one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game of football through his extensive impact on the New England Patriots dynasty. In this book, we’ll explore Tom Brady’s journey to the NFL, as well as his impact on the game.
The Dynasty by Jeff Benedict (about the New England Patriots)
It’s easy to forget that the New England Patriots were once the laughingstock of the NFL, a nearly bankrupt team that had never won a championship and was on the brink of moving to St. Louis. Everything changed in 1994, when Robert Kraft acquired the franchise and soon brought on board head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady. Since then, the Patriots have become a juggernaut, making ten trips to the Super Bowl, winning six of them, and emerging as one of the most valuable sports franchises in the world.
How was the Patriots dynasty built? And how did it last for two decades? In The Dynasty, acclaimed journalist Jeff Benedict provides richly reported answers in a sweeping account based on exclusive interviews with more than two hundred insiders—including team executives, coaches, players, players’ wives, team doctors, lawyers, and more—as well as never-before-seen recordings, documents, and electronic communications.
Through his exhaustive research, Benedict uncovers surprising new details about the inner workings of a team notorious for its secrecy. He puts us in the room as Robert Kraft outmaneuvers a legion of lawyers and investors to buy the team. We listen in on the phone call when the greatest trade ever made—Bill Belichick for a first-round draft choice—is negotiated. And we look over the shoulder of forty-year-old Tom Brady as a surgeon operates on his throwing hand on the eve of the AFC Championship Game in 2018.
But the portrait that emerges in The Dynasty is more rewarding than new details alone. By tracing the team’s epic run through the perspectives of Kraft, Belichick, and Brady—each of whom was interviewed for the book—the author provides a wealth of new insight into the complex human beings most responsible for the Patriots’ success.
"America's Game: The Epic Story of How Pro Football Captured a Nation" by Michael MacCambridge
It’s difficult to imagine today—when the Super Bowl has virtually become a national holiday and the National Football League is the country’s dominant sports entity—but pro football was once a ramshackle afterthought on the margins of the American sports landscape. In the span of a single generation in postwar America, the game charted an extraordinary rise in popularity, becoming a smartly managed, keenly marketed sports entertainment colossus whose action is ideally suited to television and whose sensibilities perfectly fit the modern age.
America’s Game traces pro football’s grand transformation, from the World War II years, when the NFL was fighting for its very existence, to the turbulent 1980s and 1990s, when labor disputes and off-field scandals shook the game to its core, and up to the sport’s present-day preeminence. A thoroughly entertaining account of the entire universe of professional football, from locker room to boardroom, from playing field to press box, this is an essential book for any fan of America’s favorite sport.
"When Pride Still Mattered: A Life of Vince Lombardi" by David Maraniss
More than any other sports figure, Vince Lombardi transformed football into a metaphor of the American experience. The son of an Italian immigrant butcher, Lombardi toiled for twenty frustrating years as a high school coach and then as an assistant at Fordham, West Point, and the New York Giants before his big break came at age forty-six with the chance to coach a struggling team in snowbound Wisconsin. His leadership of the Green Bay Packers to five world championships in nine seasons is the most storied period in NFL history. Lombardi became a living legend, a symbol to many of leadership, discipline, perseverance, and teamwork, and to others of an obsession with winning.
"Namath: A Biography" by Mark Kriegel (about Joe Namath)
Discusses the football star's upbringing as the son of a Hungarian immigrant in the steel country of Pennsylvania; his early achievements at the University of Alabama; his history-making contract with the New York Jets; and the impact of television, the sexual revolution, and Super Bowl III on his legendary status. 200,000 first printing.
"Montana" by Keith Dunnavant (about Joe Montana)
As long as football is played, Joe Montana will be synonymous with the heart-pounding rally. Seemingly impervious to the pressure of a scoreboard deficit, the quarterback known as Joe Cool brought a steadying calm to every huddle, especially when the situation seemed especially dire. His reputation for miracles began to take root at the University of Notre Dame. In the 1979 Cotton Bowl, he overcame the flu, hypothermia and a 22-point deficit to lead the Fighting Irish to a stunning victory over Houston. This narrative continued in the NFL, as he engineered 31 fourth-quarter comebacks, including victories known in professional football lore as The Catch and The Drive, forever casting his career in a heroic glow.
While leading the San Francisco 49ers to four Super Bowl championships over a nine-year period, establishing a new standard for passing efficiency, and twice earning the league's Most Valuable Player award, Montana became the signature quarterback of the 1980s and one of the greatest ever to play the game. Overcoming his own limitations, which caused him to be underrated coming out of Notre Dame, he quickly mastered Bill Walsh's West Coast Offense, and thereby, helped reinvent offensive football.
But it was rarely easy. Like the rallies he so often produced, his life was filled with the sort of tension that made his journey seem routinely dramatic: The father who pushed him. The high school coach who challenged his commitment. The college coach who very nearly squandered him. The back surgery that almost ended his career. The younger athlete who tried to take his job.
"Belichick: The Making of the Greatest Football Coach of All Time" by Ian O'Connor
Bill Belichick is perhaps the most fascinating figure in the NFL—the infamously dour face of one of the winningest franchises in sports. As head coach of the New England Patriots, he’s led the team to six Super Bowl championship trophies. In this revelatory and robust biography, readers will come to understand and see Belichick’s full life in football, from watching college games as a kid with his father, a Naval Academy scout, to orchestrating two Super Bowl–winning game plans as defensive coordinator for the Giants, to his dramatic leap to New England, where he has made history.
Award-winning columnist and New York Times best-selling author Ian O’Connor delves into the mind of the man who has earned a place among coaching legends like Lombardi, Halas, and Paul Brown, presenting sides of Belichick that have been previously unexplored. O’Connor discovers how this legendary coach shaped the people he met and worked with in ways perhaps even Belichick himself doesn’t know. Those who follow and love pro football know Bill Belichick only as the hooded genius of the Patriots. But there is so much more—from the hidden tensions and deep layers to his relationship with Tom Brady to his sometimes frosty dealings with owner Robert Kraft to his ability to earn the unmitigated respect of his players—if not their affection. This is a man who has many facets and, ultimately, has created a notorious football dynasty. Based on exhaustive research and countless interviews, this book circles around Belichick to tell his full story for the first time, and presents an incisive portrait of a mastermind at work.
"The Education of a Coach" by David Halberstam (about Bill Belichick)
Bill Belichick's thirty-one years in the NFL have been marked by amazing success--most recently with the New England Patriots. In this groundbreaking book, David Halberstam explores the nuances of both the game and the man behind it. He uncovers what makes Bill Belichick tick both on and off the field.
These books offer insights into the lives, careers, and legacies of some of the most prominent figures in Super Bowl history.
