Five standout new releases, plus a few honorable mentions, to carry you from kickoff to the playoffs. This fall’s slate spans QB mythology, the business engine of the NFL, and a wild franchise fiasco. Here are the five I’m most excited about – and why.
1American Kings by Seth Wickersham
Quick take: From high-school fields to the NFL, Wickersham maps how quarterbacks become icons, and what happens when the applause stops.
Why it made the list: Turns the QB myth inside out with deep reporting and thoughtful analysis.
Best for: Readers of big-canvas football narratives and QB-obsessed film junkies.
If you liked this: Try Brian Billick’s book about assessing quarterbacks, The Q Factor (Review).
Release: September 9 (Hyperion Avenue)
Full review
Buy the book: Amazon US | Amazon UK*
2Sanctioned Savagery by Michael Oriard
Quick take: Former Chiefs lineman–turned–scholar traces football’s long, uneasy relationship with violence and asks where the sport goes 10 years after peak of the concussion crisis.
Why it made the list: A clear, historically grounded answer to “how much is acceptable?” that doesn’t duck tough questions.
Best for: History-minded fans and anyone curious about the game’s moral calculus.
If you liked this: Read Michael Oriard’s book about the league’s transformation into an entertainment product, Brand NFL.
Release: September 9 (University of North Carolina Press)
Full review
Buy the book: Amazon US | Amazon UK
3Brady vs Belichick by Gary Myers
Quick take: The league’s favourite bar-stool debate – coach or QB? – told through New England’s dynasty with fresh reporting and context.
Why it made the list: Moves past hot takes to examine how power, culture, and decision-making actually create dynasties.
Best for: Leadership junkies, Pats fans (and anti-Pats readers), and team-building nerds.
If you liked this: Read Gridiron Genius (Review) for a Belichick-inflected counterpart.
Release: September 16 (St. Martin’s Press)
Full review
Buy the book: Amazon US
4A Big Mess in Texas by David Fleming
Quick take: The 1952 Dallas Texans: one chaotic season, empty payrolls, games moved states away, then reincarnation as the Baltimore Colts. One of football’s craziest seasons.
Why it made the list: A rare, can’t-be-true-but-is chapter of NFL history that explains how fragile the early league could be.
Best for: Lovers of oddball NFL history and rise-from-ruin stories.
If you liked this: Try Jason Vuic’s The Yucks (review) for a rollicking tale about the early years of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Release: October 4 (Macmillan)
Buy the book: Amazon US
5Every Day Is Sunday by Ken Belson
Quick take: Inside the Goodell era’s growth machine – and the owner power brokers (hello, Jerry Jones and Robert Kraft) who reshaped the NFL’s ambitions.
Why it made the list: Connects boardroom decisions to what fans see on Sundays, from media rights to global expansion.
Best for: Business-of-sports readers and media-rights watchers.
If you liked this: Pair with Big Game by Mark Leibovich (review) for a snapshot of the league as it was drawn into America’s culture wars.
Release: October 14 (Grand Central)
Full review
Buy the book: Amazon US | Amazon UK
Also notable
- The Official History of the Seattle Seahawks (50th Anniversary): handsome, archive-rich coffee-table retrospective for completists.
- The Team That History Forgot by Rick Gosselin: a fresh lens on the 1960s Kansas City Chiefs’ legacy.
- Michigan Football (Sports Illustrated): deep-dive photo and story package from the SI vault.
- Turf Wars by DeMaurice Smith: former NFLPA chief on players vs. owners and the fight for leverage.
- More QB-centric releases worth a look: Marinovich by Todd Marinovich (rise, fall, and redemption) and Eckie by Chris Serb (the legendary Chicago journalist former college QB).
How I choose
I prioritize reporting depth, historical insight, and lasting value – books you’ll still reference after the season. Release timing matters, but it’s about substance over hype. I link to relevant titles in the Pigskin Books library to help you get more context.
Which one are you picking up first? Tell us on X @Pigskin_Books – and follow for more new additions throughout the season.
*As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
