Quarterback: Inside the Most Important Position in the National Football League

QUARTERBACK                                      JOHN FIENSTEIN

In the mighty National Football League, one player becomes the face of a franchise, one player receives all the accolades and all the blame, and one player's hand will guide the rise or fall of an entire team's season - and the dreams of millions of fans. There are thirty-two starting quarterbacks in the NFL on any given Sunday, and their lives are built around pressure, stardom, and incredible talent. Legendary bestselling sportswriter John Feinstein, in his most insightful book yet, shows readers what it's really like to play the glory position and to live that life - mapping out a journey that runs from college stardom to the NFL draft to taking command of the huddle and marching a team down the field with a nation of fans cheering.

Feinstein builds his profile around five NFL starting quarterbacks - Alex Smith, Andrew Luck, Joe Flacco, Ryan Fitzpatrick, and Doug Williams. With incredible inside access, we get the full quarterback experience...being drafted #1 overall, pushing through grueling injuries, winning Super Bowls, being named a starter on multiple teams, being the first African American QB to lead a franchise to a title. Feinstein shows us exactly what it's like in the locker room, huddle, heat of battle, and press conferences, through spectacular moments and embarrassing defeats. He explores the controversies of a league embroiled in questions of substance abuse and racism, TV revenue, corporate greed, and the value placed on player health. And in the end, Feinstein addresses the ways in which each quarterback - some just a year out of college -- is handed the keys to a franchise worth billions of dollars, and how each team's fortunes ride directly on the shoulders of its QB. This is Feinstein's most fascinating behind-the-scenes book.

PAT'S REVIEW

The author takes a look at the quarterback position for the NFL which is now starting its 100th season. He says it’s interesting how an organization will hand the reigns over of a billion-dollar franchise to one player. That part I really did not find as different as from the past. Halas wanted Luckman to run his offense when he saw him at Columbia. Marshall wanted Baugh, Brown wanted Graham. So now the author takes a look at Andrew Luck who just retired because of injuries and though it is not in the book we will see how it if any will affect their season. Joe Flacco and the change their in Baltimore even though he won a Super Bowl. Alex Smith leaving the Chiefs a year after they drafted Mahomes, and Fitzpatrick in Atlanta. For me what made this book was the part with Doug Williams, not just about him winning the Super Bowl which I remember watching, but also him describing his time with Tampa Bay when those teams were so bad. What he was going through and how he left the game for a while. His part and now having him as an executive with the Redskins talking about how they look at quarterbacks either in the draft or free agency I felt really added to this book. The rest of the items I pretty much knew being a fan and someone who likes history and the history of the game. Overall a good book. I received this book from Netgalley.com I gave it 4 stars. Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com