Coaching Confidential: Inside the Fraternity of NFL Coaches

At the annual National Football League's owners meeting, a group photo is taken of all 32 teams' head coaches, and those faces change significantly from year to year, according to longtime NFL reporter Myers (The Catch). In 10 ten revealing chapters that read like hard-hitting magazine pieces, the author explains why, revealing the intricacies of one of the highest-pressure, highest-profile jobs in sports. Today's head coaches receive just three years to make the playoffs before getting fired, and the strain on personal lives can be tremendous. Based on one-on-one interviews, Myers chronicles the trials and tribulations of coaches past (Dick Vermeil, Bill Parcells, and Jimmy Johnson) and present (Mike Shanahan, Rex Ryan, and Sean Payton). In fact, the author was at NFL headquarters when league commissioner Roger Goodell suspended Payton for his role in the New Orleans Saints's so-called Bountygate. He also delves into the famous Herschel Walker and Peyton Manning trades, Washington Redskins coach Joe Gibbs's handling of safety Sean Taylor's 2007 shooting death, and former Green Bay Packers coach Mike Holmgren's initial impressions of Brett Favre. The diversity of coaches and topics covered, coupled with Myers's obsessive attention to detail and sharp opinions, will appeal to multiple generations of pro football fans. (Nov.)