The Players' Coach: From Bradshaw to Manning, Brady, and Beyond - Hardcover

by Tom Moore (Author), Rick Stroud (With)

From Chuck Noll's Steelers to the Peyton Manning-era Colts through Tom Brady and the Buccaneers, legendary NFL coach Tom Moore recalls his nearly 50-year role in the evolution of football and the keys to player-centric coaching.

Tom Moore is not only the oldest NFL coach ever, but he is also hailed as the greatest NFL assistant coach of all-time--though he humbly cites the talent and hard work of his players as the keys to his success. In six different decades, he has served as a guru to the likes of Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Terry Bradshaw, Franco Harris, Barry Sanders, Marshall Faulk, Edgerrin James, Lynn Swann, John Stallworth, Mike Webster, Randall McDaniel, Cris Carter, Marvin Harrison, and more.

In The Players' Coach, Moore recounts the most exceptional players-first coaching career in the history of the game, talks football with his proteges and underdog athletes alike, and lays out the principles that helped him define the modern gridiron.

In an era of systems, analytics, and Xs and Os, Moore maintains a refreshing focus on the Jimmys and Joes --and the results speak for themselves: twenty-five postseason appearances, fifteen division titles, and four Super Bowl victories in an ongoing career that has included the Steelers, Vikings, Lions, Saints, Colts, Jets, Titans, Cardinals, and Buccaneers.

With an inspirational life story, timeless coaching tips, and a hard-earned leadership philosophy, The Players' Coach is destined to be a football classic.

Author Biography

Tom Moore enters his sixth season with the Buccaneers in 2024 and his 46th NFL season overall. The oldest active NFL coach at the age of 85, Moore was honored in 2015 with the Pro Football Writers of America Paul Dr. Z Zimmerman Award and later by the Pro Football Hall of Fame with an Award of Excellence for his lifetime contributions as an assistant coach. Following 13 seasons at the collegiate level and one year in the World Football League, Moore made the jump to the NFL as a wide receivers coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1977. Over his decades in the NFL, his teams have earned 25 postseason appearances, 16 division titles, and four Super Bowl wins. He has coached such Hall of Fame players as Peyton Manning, Lynn Swann, John Stallworth, Terry Bradshaw, Franco Harris, Mike Webster, Barry Sanders, Marshall Faulk, Randall McDaniel, Cris Carter, Marvin Harrison, and Edgerrin James. Moore has coached alongside three Super Bowl-winning head coaches - Chuck Noll, Mike Ditka, and Tony Dungy - all of whom are enshrined in Canton. Moore and his wife, Emily, have two children, daughter, Terry, and son, Dan.

Rick Stroud is an award-winning journalist at the Tampa Bay Times, having spent three decades covering the Bucs and the NFL. He is a regular contributor to The Dan Patrick Show, The Rich Eisen Show, NFL Radio, and ESPN. Stroud and his wife, Valerie, have two daughters, Natasha and Alexandra. He also has a son, Wesley.