Book Review: American Kings: A Biography of the Quarterback

By Terri Schlichenmeyer

Snap.

And with that, and a catch that’s picture-perfect, your team is on their way to another win. The guy that threw the football sure knows his stuff. He’s worth every penny he’s paid, and in the new book “American Kings” by Seth Wickersham, you’ll see what it took to get there.

Like so many little boys, Seth Wickersham wanted to play pro football when he was growing up; specifically, he wanted to be a quarterback. Unlike most other boys, though, he took it to an extreme, becoming “obsessed” with throwing a football with the best accuracy, hoping to match the skills of the players he admired.

Alas, despite an entire childhood of near-constant practice and a few wins on the field in high school, he didn’t make varsity and ended up playing as a receiver.

He knows now that to be a quarterback is to be a star, but it’s also “a way of life.”

Here, he writes about Arch Manning, “a legend, a folk hero, a song title … and the beginning of a family franchise …” Wickersham shares the story of Warren Moon, how he stepped up to help his mother when his father died, how domestic violence almost derailed his legacy, and the racism he quarterbacked under for years.

He spent time with Caleb Williams, “the first true professional amateur quarterback” to get money for playing at the college level. He interviewed James Harris, who was prepared to become a teacher “If the league didn’t want a Black quarterback …”  Wickersham “spent much of 2022 with” Andrew Luck, who “learned quickly that greatness requires an … unlimited selfishness.” He writes about how Jack Elway influenced his son’s choice of career, what Hollywood had to do with one pro footballer’s life, and the post-career of the first player “to throw a consistently beautiful spiral.”

Says Wickersham about his subjects, “Anyone could throw a football. Only a quarterback could make people cheer.”

Your favorite chair is oiled for smooth reclining and fast slam-downs. The snacks are laid in for at least a week, and beverages are on ice. You know exactly what you’re wearing for the game this weekend. All you need is “American Kings” and you’re set.

Author Seth Wickersham calls his book “a biography,” but it’s just as much a history, since he refers often to the earliest days of the game, as well as the etymology of the word “quarterback.”  That helps to lay a solid background and it adds color to a reader’s knowledge about football itself, while explaining what it takes for men and women to stand out and to achieve gridiron greatness. On that. Wickersham is honest, sometimes calling out his subjects for their attitudes toward teammates and others. Blunt words are used that are unprintable in family newspapers, so beware if you’re sharing.

Is your team’s QB in this book? Maybe, or a past favorite surely is, so check out “American Kings” and see what you find. Football fans and pigskin prognosticators both will love this book in a snap.