Every Day Is Sunday - by Ken Belson (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

From veteran New York Times Business & NFL reporter, Ken Belson, a "groundbreaking...stunning" (Peter King) account of how the NFL's Commissioner, Roger Goodell, and its two most powerful owners, Jerry Jones & Robert Kraft, turned the league into a cultural phenomenon.

On February 11, 2024, NFL Commissioner, Roger Goodell, & the league's two most powerful owners, Jerry Jones & Robert Kraft, looked down at the spectacle before them. What they saw was the sport's championship game, the Super Bowl--now a de facto national holiday--being played in a shiny new $2B stadium, home to the first franchise based in Las Vegas, after the league's embrace of nationwide gambling. The moment was over 30 years in the making. As one of Goodell's colleagues said: "Roger doesn't view the other leagues as competition. He wants to be mentioned with Disney and the Vatican, these massive institutions."

In Every Day is Sunday, Ken Belson traces the evolution of the league from "one of the four US professional sports," to the superpower it is today. Belson illustrates how the league's rise coincided with the arrival of Jones & Kraft in the early 90's. He provides an inside look on how these two men reshaped the league, taking readers into the secretive owner's meeting, how they decided Goodell was the right man to place as Commissioner, and how the three built, wielded, and held on to their collective power.

Perfect for fans of The Dynasty and Big Game, Belson provides a unique peek behind the curtain of how America's favorite sport achieved its status--and how these three men let nothing stand in their way.

Review Quotes

"Few reporters understand the inner workings of the owners and league like Ken Belson. He's well sourced and doesn't pull punches. His book shows how the NFL's sausage is made."--Mark Leibovich, Staff Writer for The Atlantic, and New York Times bestselling author of Big Game: The NFL in Dangerous Times

"For well over a decade, Ken Belson has covered the NFL for the New York Times. The resulting knowledge and experience informs every page of Every Day is Sunday. Whether it's the detailed consideration of the myriad issues and controversies the NFL has faced, or the revealing profiles of the League's power brokers, Every Day is Sunday is simultaneously engaging and credible."--Bob Costas, Hall of Fame Broadcaster

"If you want to know exactly how the biggest and richest sport in America really works, Every Day is Sunday is the perfect book. Groundbreaking. Stunning in its breadth and detail. No one can surpass what Belson produces with every page: his inside, granular knowledge of the real power brokers of the game--Goodell, Kraft, Jones, Tagliabue--and how the league has left every sport in America in the dust."--Peter King, Award-winning Sportswriter and Bestselling Author

"An extraordinary exploration of the NFL's inner workings, including what goes on behind closed doors at Owners' Meetings. Few, if any, are as well qualified as Ken Belson to share these insights. His book will captivate football fans and those interested in the business of sports. Tremendous moments, tremendously well-shared. "Every Day is Sunday," indeed."--Amy Trask, CBS NFL Analyst and former Raiders President

"Football diehards and casual fans alike will find plenty of interest in this dexterous blend of analysis, character study, and behind-the-scenes color."--Kirkus Reviews

About the Author

Ken Belson rejoined The New York Times's Business section in 2023 to write about the business of sports after spending 14 years in the Sports department, primarily covering the N.F.L. Belson reports on the teams and personalities of the N.F.L., including finances, stadiums, medical issues, lawsuits and more. He lives in New York with his wife. You can follow him @el_belson on X.