I was nine when I first understood how important winning a Super Bowl could be to a city. Growing up in Northern California, you couldn’t miss flags flying in front of houses, neighbors wearing hats and shirts, celebrating the 49ers winning Super Bowl 24. Fast forward to Super Bowl 54: I’m a bit older...and there have been some rough seasons for the Niners—alternating quarterbacks and coaches, even stadiums (and all that relocation drama). But for now, all of the talk is for the Red and Gold to win title number six! The team has had other successful runs in recent years, but there’s something special about this team and season that has caught my attention.
Despite my proud and obvious bias, I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the Kansas City Chiefs, who’ve also earned a Super Bowl berth—their first in 50 years, and are hoping to win their second title in franchise history. With each team hungry to raise the Lombardi Trophy after decades-long droughts, LIV will be a tough and fun to watch battle.
To journey back to who and what made the Niners a champion team in the 80s, Montana: the biography of football’s Joe Cool by Keith Dunnavant tells the story of one of the greatest players in the NFL and from his college years, through his professional career including leading the 49ers to four Super Bowl wins. For those who are more on Team Young, Best of Rivals: Joe Montana, Steve Young, and the Inside Story Behind the NFL’s Greatest Quarterback Controversy, takes an in-depth look at rivalry, the statistics, and the different personalities of these two MVPs.
For further reading, here are several titles for fans that go into leadership and what it takes to have a winning team:
- War Room: The Legacy of Bill Belichick and the Art of Building the Perfect Team by Michael Holley, dives deep into the world of three different teams and their path towards a potential spot in the Super Bowl. Anecdotes from coaches, players, team officials, and scouts, this read brings a variety of perspectives on creating a winning team.
- Gridiron genius: a master class in winning championships and building dynasties in the NFL by Michael Lombardi—NFL executive, sportswriter, podcaster, and general expert of professional football, Lombardi shares what he’s learned from his experience in building and leading teams.
To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the NFL:
- America’s Game: the NFL at 100 by Jerry Rice
- NFL Century: the one-hundred-year rise of America’s greatest sports league by Joe Horrigan
Both titles go through the history of the NFL, highlighting key coaches, games, players, and events that have created the most lucrative sports league in the country.
This blog post reflects the opinions of the author and does not necessarily represent the views of Brooklyn Public Library.
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