GREAT NFL QUARTERBACK-RECEIVER DUOS

Tributes to six pairs of passers and receivers who led their teams to NFL glory.

In this high-octane narrative, Reston describes how the “plodding, run-oriented snoozefest” that was American football before the 1960s was transformed into a game dominated by “fast and fascinating air travel.” He highlights spectacular teamwork between superstar duos like the Pittsburgh Steelers’ towering quarterback, Terry Bradshaw, and wide receiver Lynn Swann and the Kansas City Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce. What made these pairs so successful? San Francisco 49ers star Jerry Rice comments on “chemistry,” saying that, “If Joe [Montana] was a female, we would have dated.” Mahomes and Kelce are the only active players included—all the rest are long retired (although some work as sports commentators). Readers follow Troy Aikman and Michael Irvin as they lead the Dallas Cowboys “from the outhouse to the penthouse” in the 1990s and learn how Peyton Manning and Marvin Harrison of the Indianapolis Colts scored an astonishing 112 touchdowns, setting a record for a regular season game. Future New England Patriots Hall of Famers Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski were “a match made in football heaven.” The prose is inviting and accessible, but readers will find the skimpy assortment of game photos underwhelming. Text boxes provide additional information on the individual players and aspects of the game.

Engaging tributes plus some background history on football make this an appealing choice for fans.