There’s an on-field perspective here that you don’t often get from the written word. Through these conversations, Feinstein has found a way to capture what it feels like—what it’s like to be standing in the huddle, to take the snap, to throw passes and take hits, to lead your team to a last-minute victory. It’s a view of the game from their perspective; engagingly capturing that perspective is one of Feinstein’s greatest talents ... Quarterback is as good a behind-the-scenes sports book as you’re likely to find. Feinstein has always been a masterful sports storyteller; what he’s spun together here holds up alongside his best. It’s a captivating deep dive, with the participants choosing to be a good deal more forthcoming than you might expect. There’s a great deal of honesty throughout this book that is refreshing; the nature of the job is such that you have to remain guarded with what you say and to whom. It’s clear that some trust was earned, which in turn leads to genuine depth.
His writing is comprehensive but unobtrusive. It is light and entertaining coverage, more like a conversation between two friends discussing the game over a burger and a beer. But his thoroughness cannot be denied ... By the end of the book, readers have significant knowledge of what it means to be a quarterback in the NFL ... Feinstein tells an enthralling story of an effort that is best characterized as all-encompassing, moving from the NFL draft room, to the locker room, practice field and game. It is a totally absorbing account.
Quarterback makes it into the red zone, but falls short of the goal line. Feinstein’s main character choices are flawed. The idea of keying on a few major quarterbacks is good. However, followers of the NFL may well wish he had chosen more colorful ones who were active in 2017, the year the book covers ... To give Feinstein his due, his narrative is as smooth as a Tom Brady pass ... Insights...make Feinstein’s book worthwhile ... For the diehard pro football fan interested in peeking behind the helmet, Quarterback makes absorbing reading.
In Quarterback, the author says surprisingly little about the titular position. Mainly he offers up rambling interviews with five quarterbacks who discuss whatever pops into their minds. By the end of the book, readers may feel they know less about the modern quarterback position than when they started ... Mr. Feinstein has shown himself a versatile writer about sports, but at times his knowledge of football seems stuck in the 1980s ... 'Anyone who thinks that there is no racial prejudice involved in judging quarterbacks even today is naive,' Mr. Feinstein writes ... Racial prejudice against minority quarterbacks has faded at every level of the sport. A book titled Quarterback ought to be aware of this.
As the season unfolds, Feinstein deconstructs the inexact science of the annual NFL draft, chronicles injuries and health concerns, and takes readers from one breathtaking finish to another ... With a critical eye and unsurpassed sense of sports history and culture, Feinstein examines qualities of leadership, the politics and drama within locker rooms and league offices, and the unrelenting pressure that can either crush a quarterback or turn him into a legend. Stellar research and storytelling that make this an essential read for NFL fans and sports enthusiasts.
As Feinstein relates the five careers, he also touches on the larger, league-wide issues of player health, substance abuse, racism, and, of course, team management, both good and bad. Another must-read from a master of long-form sports journalism ... Feinstein is one of the few sportswriters with a permanent seat at the best-seller table. He won’t be forfeiting that spot anytime soon.
The author ably gets to the heart of the game, and if little of what he writes will come as news to discerning fans, there are some fine set pieces featuring battle-weary players and devious front-office types. A worthy offering for fans of the modern, increasingly embattled game.
