Don’t miss out on two new bestselling books by acclaimed NFL journalists and bestselling authors Gary Myers and John Eisenberg. ONCE A GIANT: A Story of Victory, Tragedy, and Life After Football (PublicAffairs) by Gary Myers spotlights the 1986 Super Bowl Champion New York Giants, their lives after football and the strong brotherhood that remains today. ROCKET MEN: The Black Quarterbacks Who Revolutionized Pro Football (Basic Books) by John Eisenberg shines light on the Black predecessors who led the way through small opportunities along the way to open the doors to the Black quarterbacks at the helm of NFL teams today.
DALLAS, Dec. 20, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Don’t miss out on two new bestselling books by acclaimed NFL journalists and bestselling authors Gary Myers and John Eisenberg. ONCE A GIANT: A Story of Victory, Tragedy, and Life After Football (PublicAffairs) by Gary Myers and ROCKET MEN: The Black Quarterbacks Who Revolutionized Pro Football (Basic Books).
Once a Giant spotlights the 1986 Super Bowl Champion New York Giants and explores their lives today long after the confetti has fallen for last that and the strong brotherhood remains today.
“The 1986 season was a fairy tale for the Giants. But in real life, not everyone lives happily ever after. This book is the story of what really happens after the confetti stops falling, and the special bond between players who helped each other survive it.” –from the introduction of ONCE A GIANT
The 1986 New York Giants are legendary. A championship team coached by Bill Parcells and his wunderkind assistant Bill Belichick, featuring future Hall of Famers and All-Pros like Phil Simms, Lawrence Taylor, Mark Bavaro, and Harry Carson. They were dominant on the field and formed a unique and lasting bond off of it. More than thirty years later, it’s the friendships that have proved more important––a matter of life and death.
In Once a Giant, bestselling football writer Gary Myers tells the story of that team and what became of it. Gridiron glory eventually faded; chronic pain, addiction, and in some cases crimes have followed. Many football players face these harsh realities, but the Giants have confronted and survived them together.
With unprecedented access, Myers dives into such issues as Mark Bavaro’s battle with injuries, the breakup and reconciliation of Parcells and Belichick, and Lawrence Taylor’s struggles with sobriety. He creates a never-before-seen portrait of the team’s run to the title, and their even more challenging fight to live after it ended.
2023’s Super Bowl LVII marked the first time that the two starting quarterbacks were Black. Even though the majority of NFL players are Black—and have been for decades—this milestone came in the second century of the league’s history, a history that would be incomplete without taking race into account.
In ROCKET MEN: The Black Quarterbacks Who Revolutionized Pro Football (Basic Books; September 5, 2023), renowned sports journalist John Eisenberg relates the definitive history of Black quarterbacks in the NFL. Based on in-depth interviews of players, coaches, and talent insiders, including NFL greats like Warren Moon and Ozzie Newsome, Eisenberg reveals the surprising and at times grim stories of Black quarterbacks’ struggles to be able to play in the league.
At the center of their stories are stereotyping, denial, and institutional racism. Generations of Black men did not have the chance to play at quarterback due to beliefs that they weren’t smart or capable enough to be leaders.
For decades, they have defied these notions to become household names and hall-of-famers, opening doors of opportunity for themselves and those who would follow. Eisenberg celebrates these inspiring efforts of Black players, while holding the NFL up to the light with a comprehensive account of racism in the league’s past and present. Ultimately, ROCKET MEN is a rivetingly told history of Black quarterbacks that calls for a long-overdue reckoning on race—one that is more relevant than ever in today’s America.
To learn more about John Eisenberg, visit: johneisenberg.com
Books are available online and in bookstores.
Media Contact
Cindy Birne, Cindy Birne Public Relations, 214-405-8047, [email protected], https://cindybirnepr.com
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SOURCE Cindy Birne Public Relations
