Brian Kinchen was a thirty-eight-year-old husband, father of four, and seventh-grade Bible teacher whose professional football career had been over for three years when the New England Patriots called on December 15, 2003. With the Patriots riding a ten-game winning streak and the playoffs only a few weeks away, they needed a fill-in for the obscure but vital job of snapping the ball for their punter and kicker—a long snapper. Brian had received similar invitations to tryouts that yielded only disappointment—the teams always went with a younger guy. But could he really turn away from the chance of a lifetime?
The Long Snapper chronicles Brian's remarkable journey as he and the Patriots seek the ultimate trophy. Unfortunately, the dream come true turns into a personal nightmare as Brian struggles both on and off the field, and the pressure to perform on the biggest stage in professional sports nearly causes him to walk away. Seven weeks after leaving the classroom, however, Brian overcomes his greatest fear and snaps the ball on the historic game-winning field goal with only seconds left in the Super Bowl.
As told by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Jeffrey Marx, The Long Snapper is the story of a man who finally achieves the success he has always wanted. Brian Kinchen's championship ring is a powerful status symbol for all to see. But his journey forces him to reexamine what really matters, and he realizes the true measure of a man has nothing to do with status: life is not about prestige; it is about passion and purpose. It is about impacting the lives of others.
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"Very stretched out - seemed like the same details/stories were being told over and over. But does show the importance of the game's most unheralded position." — Jason (4 out of 5 stars)
"Very stretched out - seemed like the same details/stories were being told over and over. But does show the importance of the game's most unheralded position."
“Don’t we all long for that one more last chance? Don’t we all dream to get to do it over again? Anybody who has even had those pangs will love Jeffrey Marx’s beautiful and uplifting story about a guy who had opportunity dropped into his lap. Do yourself a favor and read The Long Snapper.”
“A compelling read.”
“A moving-right-along recounting of one of those odysseys that screams to be made into a movie. It is much, much more than your conventional ‘sports book.’”
“Jeffrey Marx captures a remarkable story and reveals a very human athlete with faith, doubt, and an underappreciated skill. The Long Snapper would be marvelous fiction; that this account is the ultimate truth is its great joy.”
“Marx is a Pulitzer Prize–winning investigative journalist, and it shows in his vivid recreation of events long after the fact. That, in tandem with his ability to connect with Kinchen on a very human level, allows him to show a side of professional athletes rarely seen on Sunday broadcasts. It’s an inspiring read for anyone who has ever wanted one last shot at their utmost dreams.”
" I picked it up of the discount shelf - solid story; nothing too special one way or the other in my view. It's a quick read. The book reminded me a lot of the season where the Carolina Panthers made their run to the Superbowl. "
" quick read, but good story "
" I read this because I loved Jeffrey Marx's other book, Season of Life. This was just ok. It was a neat story but could have been told in about 2 chapters. It probably should have been a magazine article, not a novel. "
" A must read book.....inspirational a helps you see what is really important in life..... "
" Great inspiring book about a football player with a deep love for God. "
" A nice inspirational book. If you haven't read Season of Life by Jeffrey Marx; I recommend it over this book. This is not a bad book by any stretch of the imagination but it pales in comparison to Season of Life. "
" It was a cool story. It wasn't as insightful as Season of Life, but still had some of the undertones about what is and isn't good to include in your life. Definitely a lesson about persistence and second chances. "
" Interesting story of a retired football player called back to play for the Patriots and makes it to the Superbowl. Within 48 days he goes from being a middle school religion teacher to playing on a Super Bowl winning team. "
" God doesn't care about field goals. "
" An interesting look inside the pressured mind of an older professional athlete. "
Jeffrey Marx is the New York Times bestselling author of Season of Life and The Long Snapper: A Second Chance, a Super Bowl, a Lesson for Life. He received a 1986 Pulitzer Prize for investigative reporting and has written for numerous publications, including Sports Illustrated, Newsweek, Time, the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, and the Baltimore Sun. He lives in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
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