Riddell Presents The Gridiron's Greatest Quarterbacks [Hardcover]

Jonathan Rand (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 2004

NFL coaches love to say that quarterbacks always get too much credit for winning or too much blame for losing. Football fans know better. The great quarterbacks are difference makers. They make the split-second decisions that produce big plays, elevate their teammates, and lead the way to Super Bowl glory. The great quarterback is, in short, the most irreplaceable player on the field. The San Francisco 49ers could not have won their first four Super Bowls without Joe Montana, a genius at picking apart defenses and pulling out last-minute victories. The Pittsburgh Steelers would not have won four Super Bowls in six years without the powerful arm and irrepressible leadership of Terry Bradshaw. The New York Jets could never have pulled off the most famous NFL upset of all time, a Super Bowl III win over the Baltimore Colts, without the swagger and skill of "Broadway Joe" Namath. He guaranteed a victory, then made good on his guarantee. In Riddell Presents The GridironÂ’s Greatest Quarterbacks, fans will meet the legendary field generals who grace the annals of professional football. Author Jonathan Rand ranks the top 25 quarterbacks of all time and recalls the greatest triumphs, extraordinary talents, and powerful personalities that made them and their teams winners. From Sammy Baugh and Sid Luckman, who put the quarterback position on the map, to Bart Starr, John Unitas, Bradshaw, Montana, John Elway, Dan Marino and Brett Favre, these are players of diverse skills, sizes, and temperaments who each arrived at the destination of greatness. Rand also details the rise of the African-American quarterbacks, who overcame decades of racism and cynicism to make their mark, the trade secrets of the great comeback quarterbacks, and how it feels to get buried under enormous defensive players and be the most marked man on the field. Through the words of these great quarterbacks and their teammates, coaches and opponents, readers will gain an understanding as to why the gridironÂ’s greatest quarterbacks and the gridironÂ’s greatest players are so often the same people.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Jonathan Rand has covered every major professional, college, and Olympic sport, but has always maintained a special passion for pro football. He has written about the NFL for the past three decades while covering 23 Super Bowls. The author of Riddell Presents The GridironÂ’s Greatest Linebackers, Rand is a regular columnist for KCChiefs.com and previously spent 23 years at The Kansas City Star as a sports columnist and Chiefs and NFL beat writer. He has also served on the board of electors for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Rand lives with his wife and his youngest son.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 140 pages
• Publisher: Sports Publishing LLC (August 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1582613222
• ISBN-13: 978-1582613222
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,310,337 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A most enjoyable survey, October 6, 2004

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Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Riddell Presents The Gridiron's Greatest Quarterbacks (Hardcover)

Professional sports reporter and columnist Jonathan Rand presents The Gridiron's Greatest Quarterbacks, a survey of 25 of the most influential and legendary quarterbacks of American football, from Sammy Baugh and Sid Luckman, who were instrumental in defining the quarterback's role, to modern-day sport stars such as Brett Favre. Black-and-white and color photographs add a bright highlight to the easygoing text that resonates with the author's love of the sport and respect for those who dedicate their lives to it. A most enjoyable survey that football fans of all ages and backgrounds will delight in reading.