The Long Snapper - by Jeffrey Marx (Paperback)

From the Back Cover

Brian Kinchen was a thirty-eight-year-old father of four and seventh-grade Bible teacher whose professional football career had been over for three years when he received the call of a lifetime. The New England Patriots needed him to fill in for their injured long snapper for the remainder of the 2003 season and the playoffs. In the hands of Pulitzer Prize-winner Jeffrey Marx, Brian's remarkable true story becomes a celebration of the resilience of the human spirit. For all lovers of the game of football, The Long Snapper reveals the grit and glory of America's favorite sport.

Review Quotes

"A page-turner that succinctly captures the true-life story of football player Brian Kinchen." - Chicago Tribune

"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."" - Philadelphia Inquirer

"The Long Snapper is an inspirational and compelling tale of New England Patriot Brian Kinchen's journey from seventh grade Bible studies teacher to Super Bowl champion." - New Orleans Times Picayune

"A real-life inspirational story of a young man .... Kinchen's unexpected opportunity was wonderful on its own but more so because it clarified what was truly valuable in his life: marriage, family, and teaching. Nicely done, with plenty of insider football action." - Booklist

"Jeffrey Marx tells Kinchen's story with wit and grace, spotlighting a position often lost in the NFL trenches." - Sports Illustrated

"You'll find yourself asking some core questions about what matters and what doesn't...Marx tells the tale with simple eloquence." - Cincinnati Enquirer

"A compelling read." - Houston Chronicle

"The book is a lesson about achieving your dreams, and realizing that what you've sought all along was right in front of you the whole time." - Fellowship of Christian Athletes

"Don't we all long for one last chance? Don't we all dream to do it over again? Anybody who has ever had those pangs will love Jeffrey Marx's beautiful and uplifting story about a guy who had opportunity dropped into his lap." - Frank Deford, Sports Illustrated

"Jeffrey Marx has done it again, only better than ever. The improbable story of Brian Kinchen blooms in Marx's gifted hands. Thoughtful and inspiring, The Long Snapper is a quite simply a joy to behold." - Rick Telander, Chicago Sun Times

"A great story." - Vinny Testaverde

"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." - Bob Ley, ESPN