In the Name of the Father: Family, Football, and the Manning Dynasty

Ribowsky (The Last Cowboy) exuberantly explores the ongoing story of the Manning dynasty: former NFL quarterback Archie Manning and the sons who followed in his footsteps. Archie was born in 1949 Mississippi, played for Ole Miss, and spent his pro career with the New Orleans Saints. Cooper Manning, Archie and Olivia Manning’s first-born son, appeared NFL-bound until he was diagnosed with spinal stenosis at age 18. Sons Peyton and Eli, meanwhile, followed similar career paths as their father, and Ribowsky recounts practically every major game they’ve played since high school. Peyton attended the University of Tennessee and had an outstanding career with the Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos; he retired in 2015 at age 39 with an armful of NFL records (including most passing yards and most touchdown passes). Eli, meanwhile, attended his father’s alma mater and quarterbacked the New York Giants for 14 seasons, winning the Super Bowl twice. Ribowsky thoroughly covers the on- and off-field drama in this sprawling biography, in which he traces the Manning lineage in the U.S. back to 1745; he discusses personal setbacks along the way, including allegations against Peyton of sexual harassment and performance-enhancing drug use. Football fans will be drawn to this inside look at the Mannings, one of the most talented sports families in American history. (Aug.)