NFL 100: A Century of Pro Football

The highlight of this official coffee-table book celebrating the NFL’s first 100 years is its layout. Edited by former Sports Illustrated editor Fleder, it takes a decade-by-decade approach to the league’s past. Each chapter begins with a photo spread, a two-page historical narrative by eminent author Michael McCambridge, and a graphic spread of the decade’s leaders, champions, innovators, and statistics. The remainder of each section consists of large, mostly color photos; short excerpts from the published works of celebrated football writers on notable ­players, coaches, and games; and hefty pull quotes—sometimes a whole page is devoted to one quotation. When the NFL turned 75, the official book, 75 Seasons, also took a decade-by-decade approach but featured much more text, and all of it new. That volume also boasted an extended historical narrative on each decade.