
Gridiron Genius
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
$0.99/mo for the first 3 months

Buy for $15.75
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Michael Lombardi
About this listen
Former NFL general manager and three-time Super Bowl-winner Michael Lombardi reveals what makes football organizations tick at the championship level. From personnel to practice to game-day decisions that win titles, Lombardi shares what he learned working with coaching legends Bill Walsh of the 49ers, Al Davis of the Raiders, and Bill Belichick of the Patriots, among others, during his three decades in football.
Why do some NFL franchises dominate year after year while others can never crack the code of success? For 30 years, Michael Lombardi had a front-row seat and full access as three titans - Bill Walsh, Al Davis, and Bill Belichick - reinvented the game, turning it into a national obsession while piling up Super Bowl trophies. Now, in Gridiron Genius, Lombardi provides the blueprint that makes a successful organization click and win - and the mistakes unsuccessful organizations make that keep them on the losing side time and again.
In reality, very few coaches understand the philosophies, attention to detail, and massive commitment that defined NFL juggernauts like the 49ers and the Patriots. The best organizations are not just employing players, they are building something bigger. Gridiron Genius will explain how the best leaders evaluate, acquire, and utilize personnel in ways other professional minds, football and otherwise, won't even contemplate. How do you know when to trade a player? How do you create a positive atmosphere when everyone is out to maximize his own paycheck? And why is the tight end like the knight on a chessboard?
To some, game-planning consists only of designing an attack for the next opponent. But Lombardi explains how the smartest leaders script everything: from an afternoon's special-teams practice to a season's playoff run to a decade-long organizational blueprint. Listeners will delight in the Lombardi tour of an NFL weekend, including what really goes on during the game on and off the field and inside the headset. First stop: Belichick's Saturday-night staff meeting, where he announces how the game will go the next day. Spoiler alert: He always nails it.
Football dynasties are built through massive attention to detail and unwavering commitment. From how to build a team, to how to watch a game, to understanding the essential qualities of great leaders, Gridiron Genius gives football fans the knowledge to be the smartest person in the room every Sunday.
©2018 Michael Lombardi (P)2018 Random House AudioListeners also enjoyed...
-
Football Done Right
- Setting the Record Straight on the Coaches, Players, and History of the NFL
- By: Michael Lombardi
- Narrated by: Dan Woren, Michael Lombardi, Jim Nantz
- Length: 13 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From Monday Night Football to Super Bowl Sunday, the NFL is a dominating force in the lives of millions of fans who tune in and passionately cheer for their favorite teams. And when the games are over, the conversation is just getting started. Who's the greatest player of all time? Which coaches truly shaped the game we known and love today? Why is professional football such an undeniable part of our culture? Three-time Super Bowl winner Michael Lombardi has done it all—from scout to executive to coach—and now he sets the record straight on these questions and more.
-
-
Great overview on history. Not the best top 100 list.
- By Rajiv on 09-05-23
By: Michael Lombardi
-
The Score Takes Care of Itself
- My Philosophy of Leadership
- By: Bill Walsh, Craig Walsh, Steve Jamison
- Narrated by: Dick Hill
- Length: 10 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Drawn from a series of deeply revealing conversations with coauthor Steve Jamison, The Score Takes Care of Itself offers Walsh's best leadership principles illustrated by anecdotes from his entire career. Additional insights and perspective are provided by his son Craig Walsh. The book will delight football fans and guide the vast business audience eager to learn how Bill Walsh motivated individuals and crafted winning teams.
-
-
Thank you Bill Walsh
- By Jason Comely on 01-31-13
By: Bill Walsh, and others
-
Before the Whistle: Football Coaching 101
- By: Matt Kunz
- Narrated by: Matt Kunz
- Length: 2 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
How do you know if your football team has what it takes to win the game? Because the coach is more prepared than his competition! In Before the Whistle: Football Coaching 101 you’ll learn: how to prepare your parents and family before the season even begins, how to establish a quality team and culture during the preseason, game preparation and game management principles that give your players an edge, how to finish the season so the memories last a lifetime, and much more.
-
-
Excellent listen!
- By Jason on 12-18-23
By: Matt Kunz
-
Parcells: A Football Life
- A Football Life
- By: Bill Parcells, Nunyo Demasio
- Narrated by: Jason Culp
- Length: 26 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Bill Parcells may be the most iconic football coach of our time. During his decades-long tenure as an NFL coach, he turned failing franchises into contenders. He led the ailing New York Giants to two Super Bowl victories, turned the New England Patriots into an NFL powerhouse, reinvigorated the New York Jets, brought the Dallas Cowboys back to life, and was most recently enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
-
-
Excellent football book
- By bluestar on 02-14-15
By: Bill Parcells, and others
-
Black Market
- An Insider's Journey into the High-Stakes World of College Basketball
- By: Merl Code
- Narrated by: James Shippy
- Length: 8 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For Merl Code, basketball was life. In college he played point guard for Clemson before turning pro. Later, when he pivoted to marketing, he found himself thrust into a startling world of profit-driven college basketball programs. He realized that the NCAA's amateurism rules could be used to exploit young athletes, and athletes of color in particular.
-
-
in side the basketball factory of universities
- By Larnold Jones on 08-28-24
By: Merl Code
-
Homegrown
- How the Red Sox Built a Champion from the Ground Up
- By: Alex Speier
- Narrated by: George Newbern
- Length: 10 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The 2018 season was a coronation for the Boston Red Sox. The best team in Major League Baseball - indeed, one of the best teams ever - the Sox won 108 regular season games and then romped through the postseason, going 11-3 against the three next-strongest teams baseball had to offer. As Alex Speier reveals, the Sox’ success wasn’t a fluke - nor was it guaranteed. It was the result of careful, patient planning and shrewd decision-making that allowed Boston to develop a golden generation of prospects - and then build upon that talented core to assemble a juggernaut.
-
-
Great read if you like the Red Sox or baseball ops
- By Amazon Customer on 01-11-20
By: Alex Speier
-
Football Done Right
- Setting the Record Straight on the Coaches, Players, and History of the NFL
- By: Michael Lombardi
- Narrated by: Dan Woren, Michael Lombardi, Jim Nantz
- Length: 13 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From Monday Night Football to Super Bowl Sunday, the NFL is a dominating force in the lives of millions of fans who tune in and passionately cheer for their favorite teams. And when the games are over, the conversation is just getting started. Who's the greatest player of all time? Which coaches truly shaped the game we known and love today? Why is professional football such an undeniable part of our culture? Three-time Super Bowl winner Michael Lombardi has done it all—from scout to executive to coach—and now he sets the record straight on these questions and more.
-
-
Great overview on history. Not the best top 100 list.
- By Rajiv on 09-05-23
By: Michael Lombardi
-
The Score Takes Care of Itself
- My Philosophy of Leadership
- By: Bill Walsh, Craig Walsh, Steve Jamison
- Narrated by: Dick Hill
- Length: 10 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Drawn from a series of deeply revealing conversations with coauthor Steve Jamison, The Score Takes Care of Itself offers Walsh's best leadership principles illustrated by anecdotes from his entire career. Additional insights and perspective are provided by his son Craig Walsh. The book will delight football fans and guide the vast business audience eager to learn how Bill Walsh motivated individuals and crafted winning teams.
-
-
Thank you Bill Walsh
- By Jason Comely on 01-31-13
By: Bill Walsh, and others
-
Before the Whistle: Football Coaching 101
- By: Matt Kunz
- Narrated by: Matt Kunz
- Length: 2 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
How do you know if your football team has what it takes to win the game? Because the coach is more prepared than his competition! In Before the Whistle: Football Coaching 101 you’ll learn: how to prepare your parents and family before the season even begins, how to establish a quality team and culture during the preseason, game preparation and game management principles that give your players an edge, how to finish the season so the memories last a lifetime, and much more.
-
-
Excellent listen!
- By Jason on 12-18-23
By: Matt Kunz
-
Parcells: A Football Life
- A Football Life
- By: Bill Parcells, Nunyo Demasio
- Narrated by: Jason Culp
- Length: 26 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Bill Parcells may be the most iconic football coach of our time. During his decades-long tenure as an NFL coach, he turned failing franchises into contenders. He led the ailing New York Giants to two Super Bowl victories, turned the New England Patriots into an NFL powerhouse, reinvigorated the New York Jets, brought the Dallas Cowboys back to life, and was most recently enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
-
-
Excellent football book
- By bluestar on 02-14-15
By: Bill Parcells, and others
-
Black Market
- An Insider's Journey into the High-Stakes World of College Basketball
- By: Merl Code
- Narrated by: James Shippy
- Length: 8 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For Merl Code, basketball was life. In college he played point guard for Clemson before turning pro. Later, when he pivoted to marketing, he found himself thrust into a startling world of profit-driven college basketball programs. He realized that the NCAA's amateurism rules could be used to exploit young athletes, and athletes of color in particular.
-
-
in side the basketball factory of universities
- By Larnold Jones on 08-28-24
By: Merl Code
-
Homegrown
- How the Red Sox Built a Champion from the Ground Up
- By: Alex Speier
- Narrated by: George Newbern
- Length: 10 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The 2018 season was a coronation for the Boston Red Sox. The best team in Major League Baseball - indeed, one of the best teams ever - the Sox won 108 regular season games and then romped through the postseason, going 11-3 against the three next-strongest teams baseball had to offer. As Alex Speier reveals, the Sox’ success wasn’t a fluke - nor was it guaranteed. It was the result of careful, patient planning and shrewd decision-making that allowed Boston to develop a golden generation of prospects - and then build upon that talented core to assemble a juggernaut.
-
-
Great read if you like the Red Sox or baseball ops
- By Amazon Customer on 01-11-20
By: Alex Speier
-
Madden
- A Biography
- By: Bryan Burwell
- Narrated by: Mark Moseley
- Length: 8 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Several years after his playing career was cut short by injury before it had a chance to really begin, John Madden was hired as an assistant coach by the Oakland Raiders, one of professional football's most iconoclastic franchises. Two years later he was named the team's head coach and proceeded to lead the Raiders to five championship games in his first seven seasons. Following years of heartbreaking losses in some of history's most memorable games.
-
-
Essential For Raider And Madden Fans
- By MovieGuy on 03-08-16
By: Bryan Burwell
-
The Leadership Secrets of Nick Saban
- How Alabama's Coach Became the Greatest Ever
- By: John Talty
- Narrated by: Barry Abrams
- Length: 8 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
With coach Nick Saban at the helm, the Crimson Tide has won six of the last twelve national titles. The 2020 championship team showcased Saban's evolution as a leader and further solidified what many long suspected was true: Nick Saban is college football's greatest coach ever. Leaders of any kind, including coaches and beyond, stand to gain great wisdom and inspiration by learning from his success.
-
-
A Regrettable Use of a Credit
- By Jeremy Barnett on 01-22-23
By: John Talty
-
Blood, Sweat and Chalk
- Inside Football's Playbook: How the Great Coaches Built Today's Game
- By: Tim Layden
- Narrated by: Dennis Holland
- Length: 9 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The modern game of football is filled with plays and formations with names like the Counter Trey, the Wildcat, the Zone Blitz, and the Cover Two. They have become part of the sport's vernacular, and yet for many fans they remain just names, often confusing ones. To rectify that, Tim Layden has drilled deep into the core of the game to reveal how these chalkboard X's and O's really work on the field, as well as where they came from and who dreamed them up.
-
-
doesn't translate great to audiobook
- By Mbriggs on 02-18-15
By: Tim Layden
-
The Education of a Coach
- By: David Halberstam
- Narrated by: Tom Stechshulte
- Length: 9 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Pulitzer Prize-winner David Halberstam's best seller takes you inside the football genius of Bill Belichick for an insightful profile in leadership. Bill Belichick's thirty-one years in the NFL have been marked by amazing success - most recently with the New England Patriots. In this groundbreaking audiobook, David Halberstam explores the nuances of both the game and the man behind it. He uncovers what makes Bill Belichick tick both on and off the field.
-
-
Good Overall. Very detailed
- By Dean on 01-17-17
By: David Halberstam
-
Guts and Genius
- The Story of Three Unlikely Coaches Who Came to Dominate the NFL in the '80s
- By: Bob Glauber
- Narrated by: Jamie Renell
- Length: 10 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Bill Walsh, Joe Gibbs, and Bill Parcells dominated what may go down as the greatest decade in pro football history, leading their teams to a combined eight championships and developing some of the most gifted players of all time in the process. In interviews with more than 150 players, coaches, family members and friends, Guts and Genius digs into the careers of three men who overcame their own insecurities and doubts to build Hall of Fame legacies that transformed their generation and continue to impact today's NFL.
-
-
Great history
- By Michael G. Salardino on 12-10-19
By: Bob Glauber
-
The Dynasty
- By: Jeff Benedict
- Narrated by: Todd Menesses
- Length: 25 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
How was the Patriots dynasty built? And how did it last for two decades? In The Dynasty, acclaimed journalist Jeff Benedict provides richly reported answers in a sweeping account based on exclusive interviews with more than 200 insiders - including team executives, coaches, players, players’ wives, team doctors, lawyers, and more - as well as never-before-seen recordings, documents, and electronic communications.
-
-
I could not put this down!
- By Mark on 12-29-20
By: Jeff Benedict
-
Swagger
- Super Bowls, Brass Balls, and Footballs - A Memoir
- By: Jimmy Johnson, Dave Hyde
- Narrated by: Chris Henry Coffey
- Length: 8 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Hall of Fame football coach Jimmy Johnson’s house isn’t on the way to anything. Yet, his private sanctuary on the Florida Keys’ Islamorada islands is a popular destination to which college and professional coaches, general managers, and team owners regularly trek to seek advice—how to build a positive team culture, draft elite players, balance work and family life, and lead a team to win. Why? Because Jimmy Johnson has done it all. Now, written with sports journalist Dave Hyde, Johnson shares a candid account of his life experiences that have turned him into a legend in the coaching world.
-
-
AMAZING AND NECESSARY READ FOR FOOTBALL FANS EVERYWHERE
- By elaine clancy on 01-24-23
By: Jimmy Johnson, and others
-
No Excuses
- The Making of a Head Coach
- By: Bob Stoops, Gene Wojciechowski
- Narrated by: Bob Stoops
- Length: 11 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In Stoops's journey from player to struggling graduate assistant to legendary head coach, it becomes clear that his dedication to football is about far more than the sport itself. Big Game Bob, as he is known by adorning Sooners, made a name for himself not only by rebuilding the OU football program and leading the team to multiple conference championships but also by adhering to a strong set of principles at a time when corruption was rampant across the NCAA.
-
-
What a Story!
- By Teacher 4832 on 05-07-20
By: Bob Stoops, and others
-
Eleven Rings
- The Soul of Success
- By: Phil Jackson, Hugh Delehanty
- Narrated by: Matt Walton
- Length: 10 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
During his storied career as head coach of the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers, Phil Jackson won more championships than any coach in the history of professional sports. This is the story of a preacher's kid from North Dakota who grew up to be one of the most innovative leaders of our time. Eleven times, Jackson led his teams to the ultimate goal: the NBA championship - six times with the Chicago Bulls and five times with the Los Angeles Lakers. This book is full of revelations.
-
-
Listener Beware
- By Robert S. Wegener on 07-12-13
By: Phil Jackson, and others
-
Above the Line
- Lessons in Leadership and Life from a Championship Season
- By: Urban Meyer, Wayne Coffey
- Narrated by: Jason Culp
- Length: 5 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Remarkable lessons in leadership and team building from one of the greatest football coaches of our time. Urban Meyer has established himself as one of the elite in the annals of his sport, having lead his players to three national championships. In Above the Line, he offers listeners his unparalleled insights into leadership, team building, and the keys to empowering people to achieve things they might never have thought possible.
-
-
Must a read for anyone serious about leading!
- By Charles on 11-10-15
By: Urban Meyer, and others
-
Belichick
- The Making of the Greatest Football Coach of All Time
- By: Ian O'Connor
- Narrated by: Brian Hutchison
- Length: 21 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From a New York Times best-selling author, the definitive biography of the NFL’s most enigmatic, controversial, and yet successful coach, Bill Belichick. Veteran sports writer and award-winning author Ian O’Connor delves into the mind of the man who has earned a place among coaching legends like Lombardi, Halas, and Paul Brown, presenting sides of Belichick that have previously been unexplored. O’Connor discovers how this legendary coach shaped the people he met and worked with in ways perhaps even Belichick himself doesn’t know.
-
-
Revealing Portrait
- By William G. Stuart on 10-09-18
By: Ian O'Connor
-
The Quarterback Whisperer
- How to Build an Elite NFL Quarterback
- By: Bruce Arians
- Narrated by: Pete Larkin
- Length: 6 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
What is an elite NFL QB and what separates that player from the others? One answer is the coach they share. In the recent history of the biggest game on Earth, one man is the common thread that connects several of the very best in the sport: Peyton Manning; Ben Roethlisberger; Andrew Luck; and the resurgent Carson Palmer. That coach is Bruce Arians. A larger than life visionary who trained under the tutelage of Bear Bryant, Arians has had a major impact on the development and success of each of these players. For proof beyond the stats, go to the sources.
-
-
Too many repeated sections
- By JenEK on 08-10-22
By: Bruce Arians
Critic reviews
"Gridiron Genius is a FASCINATING read! Michael Lombardi provides a truly unique look at the inside workings and the exacting attention to detail that is paramount to succeed at the highest level. Michael has worked in concert and in lock step with some of the best teachers and administrators in the history of professional football. He shares true behind-the-scenes glimpses and anecdotes of the behind the scenes world of our industry." (Sean Payton, head coach, New Orleans Saints)
"Michael Lombardi got his masters in football from The Masters of football - Bill Walsh, Al Davis, Bill Belichick. Now he passes those memorable lessons on to his fortunate readers so they can receive an advanced education in coaching, personnel, management and strategy." (Adam Schefter, ESPN NFL insider and author of The Man I Never Met)
"My only criticism of Michael Lombardi's book is that I enjoyed it too much. The characters and stories were irresistible. But make no mistake, this is a very serious book. Lombardi extracts a meticulous and full-fledged blueprint for organizational excellence from a raft of hard evidence. This is a guidebook for excellence - and it applies way beyond the gridiron. Any thoughtful business leader, for example, could assemble a bundle of useful, integrated ideas that could transform organizational performance. Bravo!" (Tom Peters, author of In Search of Excellence)
Featured Article: The Best Football Audiobooks to Get Into the Greatest Minds and Controversies of the Gridiron
The players and coaches who dominate the football field regularly capture the attention of fans, but their insights don't end there. From stories of gridiron leaders to accounts of bravery to stinging indictments of the industry’s dark side, our list of the best football audiobooks includes selections for veteran fans and casual viewers of one of our nation’s most beloved games.
People who viewed this also viewed...
-
Football Done Right
- Setting the Record Straight on the Coaches, Players, and History of the NFL
- By: Michael Lombardi
- Narrated by: Dan Woren, Michael Lombardi, Jim Nantz
- Length: 13 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From Monday Night Football to Super Bowl Sunday, the NFL is a dominating force in the lives of millions of fans who tune in and passionately cheer for their favorite teams. And when the games are over, the conversation is just getting started. Who's the greatest player of all time? Which coaches truly shaped the game we known and love today? Why is professional football such an undeniable part of our culture? Three-time Super Bowl winner Michael Lombardi has done it all—from scout to executive to coach—and now he sets the record straight on these questions and more.
-
-
Great overview on history. Not the best top 100 list.
- By Rajiv on 09-05-23
By: Michael Lombardi
-
Swagger
- Super Bowls, Brass Balls, and Footballs - A Memoir
- By: Jimmy Johnson, Dave Hyde
- Narrated by: Chris Henry Coffey
- Length: 8 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Hall of Fame football coach Jimmy Johnson’s house isn’t on the way to anything. Yet, his private sanctuary on the Florida Keys’ Islamorada islands is a popular destination to which college and professional coaches, general managers, and team owners regularly trek to seek advice—how to build a positive team culture, draft elite players, balance work and family life, and lead a team to win. Why? Because Jimmy Johnson has done it all. Now, written with sports journalist Dave Hyde, Johnson shares a candid account of his life experiences that have turned him into a legend in the coaching world.
-
-
AMAZING AND NECESSARY READ FOR FOOTBALL FANS EVERYWHERE
- By elaine clancy on 01-24-23
By: Jimmy Johnson, and others
-
Parcells: A Football Life
- A Football Life
- By: Bill Parcells, Nunyo Demasio
- Narrated by: Jason Culp
- Length: 26 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Bill Parcells may be the most iconic football coach of our time. During his decades-long tenure as an NFL coach, he turned failing franchises into contenders. He led the ailing New York Giants to two Super Bowl victories, turned the New England Patriots into an NFL powerhouse, reinvigorated the New York Jets, brought the Dallas Cowboys back to life, and was most recently enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
-
-
Excellent football book
- By bluestar on 02-14-15
By: Bill Parcells, and others
-
Belichick
- The Making of the Greatest Football Coach of All Time
- By: Ian O'Connor
- Narrated by: Brian Hutchison
- Length: 21 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From a New York Times best-selling author, the definitive biography of the NFL’s most enigmatic, controversial, and yet successful coach, Bill Belichick. Veteran sports writer and award-winning author Ian O’Connor delves into the mind of the man who has earned a place among coaching legends like Lombardi, Halas, and Paul Brown, presenting sides of Belichick that have previously been unexplored. O’Connor discovers how this legendary coach shaped the people he met and worked with in ways perhaps even Belichick himself doesn’t know.
-
-
Revealing Portrait
- By William G. Stuart on 10-09-18
By: Ian O'Connor
-
Football Is a Numbers Game
- Pro Football Focus and How a Data-Driven Approach Shook Up the Sport
- By: Matthew Coller
- Narrated by: Matthew Coller
- Length: 7 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the 1980s, Neil Hornsby was one of very few National Football League fans in England. Never one to do anything casually, he began keeping hand-written score sheets of every game using his own tracking system. Soon he'd enlisted some fellow British super fans in his mission to take football information an extra layer deeper. This was the beginning of Pro Football Focus, an analytics company that now supplies data to all 32 NFL teams and every major broadcasting corporation. In Football Is a Numbers Game, Matthew Coller chronicles this improbable start-up tale with unprecedented access.
-
-
A unique listen on data and the NFL!
- By Austin on 11-22-23
By: Matthew Coller
-
The Power of the Dog
- By: Don Winslow
- Narrated by: Ray Porter
- Length: 20 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This explosive novel of the drug trade takes you deep inside a world riddled with corruption, betrayal, and bloody revenge. From the streets of New York City to Mexico City and Tijuana to the jungles of Central America, this is the war on drugs like you've never seen it.
-
-
Gripping Drama
- By Deborah on 01-06-11
By: Don Winslow
-
Football Done Right
- Setting the Record Straight on the Coaches, Players, and History of the NFL
- By: Michael Lombardi
- Narrated by: Dan Woren, Michael Lombardi, Jim Nantz
- Length: 13 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From Monday Night Football to Super Bowl Sunday, the NFL is a dominating force in the lives of millions of fans who tune in and passionately cheer for their favorite teams. And when the games are over, the conversation is just getting started. Who's the greatest player of all time? Which coaches truly shaped the game we known and love today? Why is professional football such an undeniable part of our culture? Three-time Super Bowl winner Michael Lombardi has done it all—from scout to executive to coach—and now he sets the record straight on these questions and more.
-
-
Great overview on history. Not the best top 100 list.
- By Rajiv on 09-05-23
By: Michael Lombardi
-
Swagger
- Super Bowls, Brass Balls, and Footballs - A Memoir
- By: Jimmy Johnson, Dave Hyde
- Narrated by: Chris Henry Coffey
- Length: 8 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Hall of Fame football coach Jimmy Johnson’s house isn’t on the way to anything. Yet, his private sanctuary on the Florida Keys’ Islamorada islands is a popular destination to which college and professional coaches, general managers, and team owners regularly trek to seek advice—how to build a positive team culture, draft elite players, balance work and family life, and lead a team to win. Why? Because Jimmy Johnson has done it all. Now, written with sports journalist Dave Hyde, Johnson shares a candid account of his life experiences that have turned him into a legend in the coaching world.
-
-
AMAZING AND NECESSARY READ FOR FOOTBALL FANS EVERYWHERE
- By elaine clancy on 01-24-23
By: Jimmy Johnson, and others
-
Parcells: A Football Life
- A Football Life
- By: Bill Parcells, Nunyo Demasio
- Narrated by: Jason Culp
- Length: 26 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Bill Parcells may be the most iconic football coach of our time. During his decades-long tenure as an NFL coach, he turned failing franchises into contenders. He led the ailing New York Giants to two Super Bowl victories, turned the New England Patriots into an NFL powerhouse, reinvigorated the New York Jets, brought the Dallas Cowboys back to life, and was most recently enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
-
-
Excellent football book
- By bluestar on 02-14-15
By: Bill Parcells, and others
-
Belichick
- The Making of the Greatest Football Coach of All Time
- By: Ian O'Connor
- Narrated by: Brian Hutchison
- Length: 21 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From a New York Times best-selling author, the definitive biography of the NFL’s most enigmatic, controversial, and yet successful coach, Bill Belichick. Veteran sports writer and award-winning author Ian O’Connor delves into the mind of the man who has earned a place among coaching legends like Lombardi, Halas, and Paul Brown, presenting sides of Belichick that have previously been unexplored. O’Connor discovers how this legendary coach shaped the people he met and worked with in ways perhaps even Belichick himself doesn’t know.
-
-
Revealing Portrait
- By William G. Stuart on 10-09-18
By: Ian O'Connor
-
Football Is a Numbers Game
- Pro Football Focus and How a Data-Driven Approach Shook Up the Sport
- By: Matthew Coller
- Narrated by: Matthew Coller
- Length: 7 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the 1980s, Neil Hornsby was one of very few National Football League fans in England. Never one to do anything casually, he began keeping hand-written score sheets of every game using his own tracking system. Soon he'd enlisted some fellow British super fans in his mission to take football information an extra layer deeper. This was the beginning of Pro Football Focus, an analytics company that now supplies data to all 32 NFL teams and every major broadcasting corporation. In Football Is a Numbers Game, Matthew Coller chronicles this improbable start-up tale with unprecedented access.
-
-
A unique listen on data and the NFL!
- By Austin on 11-22-23
By: Matthew Coller
-
The Power of the Dog
- By: Don Winslow
- Narrated by: Ray Porter
- Length: 20 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This explosive novel of the drug trade takes you deep inside a world riddled with corruption, betrayal, and bloody revenge. From the streets of New York City to Mexico City and Tijuana to the jungles of Central America, this is the war on drugs like you've never seen it.
-
-
Gripping Drama
- By Deborah on 01-06-11
By: Don Winslow
-
The Why Is Everything
- A Story of Football, Rivalry, and Revolution
- By: Michael Silver
- Narrated by: Mike Chamberlain
- Length: 16 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Kyle Shanahan became the NFL's youngest offensive coordinator in 2008, he had one prevailing rule: Tell me the why. If a colleague couldn't justify his position by providing the unassailable reasoning behind it, he was told to get the hell out of Shanahan's office. Shanahan and the members of his coaching tree—including Sean McVay, Mike McDaniel, Raheem Morris, and Matt LaFleur—came up in a sport where innovation was the exception, not the rule. There had been brilliant football minds before, from Paul Brown to Bill Walsh to Bill Belichick.
-
-
learning behind the scenes details about NFL coaches
- By Anonymous User on 03-30-25
By: Michael Silver
-
Disunited Nations
- The Scramble for Power in an Ungoverned World
- By: Peter Zeihan
- Narrated by: Peter Zeihan, Roy Worley
- Length: 16 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In Disunited Nations, geopolitical strategist Peter Zeihan presents a series of counterintuitive arguments about the future of a world where trade agreements are coming apart and international institutions are losing their power. Germany will decline as the most powerful country in Europe, with France taking its place. Every country should prepare for the collapse of China, not North Korea. We are already seeing, as Zeihan predicts, a shift in outlook on the Middle East: it is no longer Iran that is the region’s most dangerous threat, but Saudi Arabia.
-
-
brilliant geopolitical primer re the future
- By Howard on 04-11-20
By: Peter Zeihan
-
The League
- How Five Rivals Created the NFL and Launched a Sports Empire
- By: John Eisenberg
- Narrated by: Daniel Thomas May
- Length: 11 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The National Football League's current dominance has obscured how professional football got its start. In The League, John Eisenberg reveals that Art Rooney, George Halas, Tim Mara, George Preston Marshall, and Bert Bell took an immense risk by investing in the professional game. At that time, the sport barely registered on the national scene. The five owners succeeded only because at critical junctures in the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s, each sacrificed the short-term success of his team for the longer-term good of the League.
-
-
what a great book. loved it completely.
- By Daniel Mosca on 11-08-18
By: John Eisenberg
-
Blood, Sweat and Chalk
- Inside Football's Playbook: How the Great Coaches Built Today's Game
- By: Tim Layden
- Narrated by: Dennis Holland
- Length: 9 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The modern game of football is filled with plays and formations with names like the Counter Trey, the Wildcat, the Zone Blitz, and the Cover Two. They have become part of the sport's vernacular, and yet for many fans they remain just names, often confusing ones. To rectify that, Tim Layden has drilled deep into the core of the game to reveal how these chalkboard X's and O's really work on the field, as well as where they came from and who dreamed them up.
-
-
doesn't translate great to audiobook
- By Mbriggs on 02-18-15
By: Tim Layden
-
Saban
- The Making of a Coach
- By: Monte Burke
- Narrated by: Barry Abrams
- Length: 12 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
As the head coach of the University of Alabama's football team, Nick Saban is perhaps the most influential - and controversial - man in the sport. Unpredictable in his professional loyalties, uncompromising in his vision, and unyielding in his pursuit of perfection, the highest-paid coach in college football has changed the face of the game. His program-building vision has delivered packed stadiums, rabid fans, legions of detractors, countless NFL draft picks, and a total of four championships.
-
-
Narrator is awful.
- By kenneth on 08-12-15
By: Monte Burke
-
The TB12 Method
- How to Achieve a Lifetime of Sustained Peak Performance
- By: Tom Brady
- Narrated by: Tom Brady, Jonathan Todd Ross
- Length: 6 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this new edition of The TB12 Method, Tom Brady further explains and details the revolutionary training, conditioning, and wellness system that has kept him atop the NFL at an age when most players are deep into retirement. Brady - along with the expert Body Coaches at TB12, the performance lifestyle brand he cofounded in 2013 with Alex Guerrero - explain the principles and philosophies of pliability, a paradigm-shifting fitness concept that focuses on a more natural, healthier way of exercising, training, and living.
-
-
It Works
- By scott on 11-26-17
By: Tom Brady
-
The Son
- By: Philipp Meyer
- Narrated by: Will Patton, Kate Mulgrew, Scott Shepherd, and others
- Length: 17 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Part epic of Texas, part classic coming-of-age story, part unflinching examination of the bloody price of power, The Son is a gripping and utterly transporting novel that maps the legacy of violence in the American west with rare emotional acuity, even as it presents an intimate portrait of one family across two centuries. Eli McCullough is just twelve-years-old when a marauding band of Comanche storm his Texas homestead and brutally murder his mother and sister, taking him as a captive.
-
-
Five Stars for the Lone Star, The Son, & Meyer
- By Mel on 06-04-13
By: Philipp Meyer
-
The Score Takes Care of Itself
- My Philosophy of Leadership
- By: Bill Walsh, Craig Walsh, Steve Jamison
- Narrated by: Dick Hill
- Length: 10 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Drawn from a series of deeply revealing conversations with coauthor Steve Jamison, The Score Takes Care of Itself offers Walsh's best leadership principles illustrated by anecdotes from his entire career. Additional insights and perspective are provided by his son Craig Walsh. The book will delight football fans and guide the vast business audience eager to learn how Bill Walsh motivated individuals and crafted winning teams.
-
-
Thank you Bill Walsh
- By Jason Comely on 01-31-13
By: Bill Walsh, and others
-
The Perfect Pass
- American Genius and the Reinvention of Football
- By: S. C. Gwynne
- Narrated by: Santino Fontana
- Length: 8 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
New York Times best-selling, award-winning historian S. C. Gwynne tells the incredible story of how Hal Mumme and Mike Leach - two unknown coaches who revolutionized American football in the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s - changed the way the game is played at every level, from high school to the NFL. Hal Mumme is one of a handful of authentic offensive geniuses in the history of American football. In 2015 ESPN Magazine, the nation's leading sports magazine, called him the single most influential football coach in the last quarter century.
-
-
The Perfect Pass
- By Little Pecan on 09-29-16
By: S. C. Gwynne
-
The Education of a Coach
- By: David Halberstam
- Narrated by: Tom Stechshulte
- Length: 9 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Pulitzer Prize-winner David Halberstam's best seller takes you inside the football genius of Bill Belichick for an insightful profile in leadership. Bill Belichick's thirty-one years in the NFL have been marked by amazing success - most recently with the New England Patriots. In this groundbreaking audiobook, David Halberstam explores the nuances of both the game and the man behind it. He uncovers what makes Bill Belichick tick both on and off the field.
-
-
Good Overall. Very detailed
- By Dean on 01-17-17
By: David Halberstam
-
The Football 100
- Sports Series, Book 1
- By: The Athletic, Dan Kaufman
- Narrated by: Jaime Lincoln Smith
- Length: 18 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
At The Athletic, home to the best newsroom in sports, this question would become a labor of love for dozens of the best football writers on the planet, including Mike Sando and Dan Pompei. Over the course of 100 riveting profiles—each drawing upon unparalleled access and superlative storytelling to offer intimate perspective on what made the greatest players tick—these writers reveal their findings. In the process, they also uncover the history of football.
-
-
Many interesting stories of football greats
- By Donald J. Bentley on 02-16-25
By: The Athletic, and others
-
Mastering the Gridiron: Introduction to Football Strategy
- By: Southerland Publishing
- Narrated by: Virtual Voice
- Length: 1 hr and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Introduction to Football Strategy is a comprehensive guide for both newcomers and aficionados of the sport. Diving deep into the tactical nuances of football, this book demystifies the complex strategies deployed on the field. From understanding offensive formations to defensive schemes, and the pivotal role of special teams, readers will gain a holistic understanding of the game's intricacies. With detailed diagrams, real-game examples, and expert insights, this is the definitive resource for anyone looking to deepen their appreciation of football's strategic depth. Whether you're a ...
-
-
Coaches assistant in training.
- By Wayne Vaughan on 03-03-25
What listeners say about Gridiron Genius
Highly rated for:
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Anonymous User
- 12-05-18
A+++++
Loved the book from start to finish and will definitely give it a second listen. Hard to overvalue Mr. Lombardi's lessons on leadership and systematic approach to a job
The book is not just for football fans either.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Charlie Parker
- 09-11-19
Exceeded expectations. Respect.
Great listen on insights, game management, player breakdown, and football preparation! Loved it and will re-listen to it immoderately with a pen and paper!!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Robert J. Russell, Jr
- 03-31-19
Enjoyable and a must read for football fans and coaches.
Great offseason read. Not overly technical either so a good read for the less experienced as well.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Travis
- 02-07-23
applications of leadership
This book has some great stories and analogies about how coaches apply various techniques to lead teams.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- William G. Stuart
- 11-07-19
Great Analysis from an NFL Insider and Lifer
This is a great listen for anyone who appreciates the recent history of the NFL. There are too few great organization architects who have fielded teams that are dominant over a period of a decade or more. Author Michael Lombardi has worked for three such me: Bill Walsh, Al Davis, and Bill Belichick.
These three men appear to have little in common in their upbringing or in their personalities. And each man's focus is entirely different: Walsh the offensive innovator and engaging personality, Belichick the defensive genius who appears brash and aloof, and Davis the rebel owner never at a loss for an outlandish word or innovation. But they are united by a handful of common characteristics:
1. They understand the importance of building a culture of accountability.
2. They play a different game from their me-too contemporaries.
3. They build a system and then find players and coaches who fit that system.
Had Lombardi worked in a few other organization, the book might have included Vince Lombardi and the Packers; Bill Parcells and the Giants; Paul Brown and the Browns; and Tom Landry, Tex Schramm, and Gil Brandt of the Cowboys.
The characteristics of these winners are present not only in great football teams, but also in business. And in both football and business, these types of leaders - bold, focused, results-oriented, architectural, system-driven - are rare. But that scarcity is more evident in sports than in business because sports leaders are measured regularly and publicly.
Should you invest in and listen to this book? Take this simple test:
1. If you want to learn more about how successful pro football franchises build teams rather than merely assemble talent, listen to the book.
2. If you enjoy a journey through the recent history of the league and learning the connections among many men whom you've seen roam the sidelines in recent years, listen to the book.
3. If you want to imagine how some superbly talented athletes who never achieve superior results might have had very different career trajectories had they been placed in a different system, listen to the book.
4. If you believe that most NFL coaches and owners are equally talented and that some achieve success merely by breaking the rules or as a result of dumb luck, don't bother listening to the book.
5. If you believe that raw talent wins and sustains NFL championships, don't bother listening to the book.
How did you do on the quiz?
Every year, I choose a sports book that I've read or listened as a gift for two friends who are as fanatic about sports as I am. This year, they'll receive a hard copy of this book for Christmas.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Anonymous User
- 12-16-18
football junkie only
my favorite book ever... football lover's dream.. I'd definitely listen again.. this is a have to listen to book
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Amazon Customer
- 09-08-22
Learned so much!
It is an exceptional listen for every football fan! I even enjoyed the Bruce Springsteen references! Well done my fellow New Jerseian!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Anonymous User
- 01-29-23
Great listen
If you love football and want a deeper appreciation this is a great listen. I loved the stories from the past and how relevant they so are to todays game. The stories about the draft and all the intricate details that go into selecting a player was my favorite part. Definitely going to re-listen.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Anonymous User
- 08-06-24
Tremendous insight into some of the most brilliant minds in football
This book was amazing. This is the type of insight you can’t get unless you were at the top of the game.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Amazon Customer
- 09-18-18
This book is more about life than football
Lomardi tells stories about football and learning from the greats, but this book is about what it takes to win in life and business. Fantastic book.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!