America’s Game: The NFL at 100

Pro football superstar Rice and sportswriter Williams (coauthors, 50 Years, 50 Moments: The Most Unforgettable Plays in Super Bowl History) fumble with this poorly organized overview of NFL history. The objective is a worthy one—to provide an accessible look at a century of the NFL and introduce present-day fans to the origins of professional football and the significant players, coaches, and owners from its past. The authors divide their timeline into four quarters and insert sections on random topics throughout regardless of era: a history of quarterbacks, for instance, features Peyton Manning and Tom Brady in the second quarter (1945–1969). Topical issues—such as violence by players (an attack by Charlie Waters on fans who’d thrown a beer bottle at his teammate is treated as a joke) and concussions—are superficially covered. The authors claim Otto Graham to be the greatest quarterback in history, yet omit him from their choices for the roster of best of his time. Don Shula manages to be named best coach for both the third and fourth quarters of the NFL’s history, despite his retirement from coaching the Miami Dolphins in 1995, just when that last quarter began, and during the trophy-laden career of the New England Patriots’ Bill Belichick. This is a missed opportunity likely to disappoint both serious and casual fans. (Oct.)