What does it take to be an NFL head coach? Most of us will never know the firsthand experience of the long hours studying film, developing draft picks into stars and dealing with the media and fans when things aren’t going so well.
While we probably will never be hired to run an NFL organization, there is plenty of material out there to at least fill us in on the behind-the-scenes details you may not otherwise see. This material comes straight from the horse’s mouth; the coaches themselves.
Not all books written by NFL coaches (or at least the writers who help them with the book) are worth your effort. Some are nothing but tired clichés and motivational gibberish. However, there are four books out there that every NFL fan should have on their shelf simply because they will give you so much detail, you’ll feel like you’re in the locker room with them.
Run to Daylight (Vince Lombardi) – Every Green Bay Packers fan knows this title. But, surprisingly I have found few who have taken the time to read it and that’s very disappointing. Run to Daylight gives you a day-by-day look of a typical week for the legendary coach. Simply put, it’s a blue print for how to put together a winning team and discusses everything from game planning to practices and even the game itself. The first time I read it, I was on my couch for hours because I simply could not put it down.
Finding the Winning Edge (Bill Walsh) – Walsh had another book, “Building a Champion,” but this one is ten times better. Like Lombardi’s book, this is a step-by-step guide for assembling a winning franchise; from scouting players to courting free agents. It is a coaching encyclopedia that leaves absolutely nothing out. I learned more about the sport in the few hours it took me to read this book than I knew from watching nearly 3 decades worth of games.
Hard Knox (Chuck Knox) – This book is a bit different from the first two because, unlike Lombardi and Walsh, Knox never won a Super Bowl. But, he did turn three franchises (Los Angeles Rams, Buffalo Bills and Seattle Seahawks) into winning organizations. His book is one of the better autobiographies out there because it gives a detailed look at his life; both the good things and the bad things. It talks about his successes but also talks ultimately about his failure to win a championship; something that really makes you feel for the guy by the end.
Quiet Strength (Tony Dungy) – This is the only book on this list written by an active head coach. And, despite my previous statement that these are books for “every” football fan, this one is actually geared specifically to men. Dungy uses his life and his football coaching experience to put together a nice spiritual guide for men (even those of us who aren’t overly religious). He uses the game we love to put our own life in perspective and I really found myself wondering “am I being the man I could be.” I think this one could even be a must-read for non-football fans.
