How Football Got It Wrong
The Body Didn't Change. The Game Did.
For more than a century, football has tried to make the game safer. Yet players continue to get bigger, faster, and stronger while collisions become more violent. This book explores why—and asks whether football has been solving the wrong problem.
Why This Book?
Most people believe football became more dangerous because players got bigger and stronger.
This book argues that's only part of the story.
Discover how decades of rule changes, specialization, television, economics, and incentives quietly transformed the game into something its founders never intended.
Who Belongs on the Official Ironman Maddog Football Team?
Build a team of just 11 complete football players from any era. Every player must be capable of contributing on both sides of the ball.
Play Both Ways
Every player must play offense and defense. No substitutions. No one-way specialists.
Compare Your Team
Submit your lineup and see how your selections compare with those of football fans across America.
Select Only 11
Choose the 11 greatest all-around football players of all time. With no bench to rely on, every selection matters.
Why Visitors Should Care
Did football become more dangerous because of its incentives?
Add paragraph text. Click “Edit Text” to update the font, size and more. To change and reuse text themes, go to Site Styles.
Could a larger playing field make football safer?
Add paragraph text. Click “Edit Text” to update the font, size and more. To change and reuse text themes, go to Site Styles.
Why did rugby evolve differently?
Add paragraph text. Click “Edit Text” to update the font, size and more. To change and reuse text themes, go to Site Styles.
Has specialization changed the game forever?
Add paragraph text. Click “Edit Text” to update the font, size and more. To change and reuse text themes, go to Site Styles.
What does football's future look like?
Add paragraph text. Click “Edit Text” to update the font, size and more. To change and reuse text themes, go to Site Styles.
.png)
Why Visitors Should Care
Did football become more dangerous because of its incentives?
Could a larger playing field make football safer?
Why did rugby evolve differently?
Has specialization changed the game forever?
What does football's future look like?
.png)
Why Visitors Should Care
Did football become more dangerous because of its incentives?
Add paragraph text. Click “Edit Text” to update the font, size and more. To change and reuse text themes, go to Site Styles.
Could a larger playing field make football safer?
Add paragraph text. Click “Edit Text” to update the font, size and more. To change and reuse text themes, go to Site Styles.
Why did rugby evolve differently?
Add paragraph text. Click “Edit Text” to update the font, size and more. To change and reuse text themes, go to Site Styles.
Has specialization changed the game forever?
Add paragraph text. Click “Edit Text” to update the font, size and more. To change and reuse text themes, go to Site Styles.
What does football's future look like?
Add paragraph text. Click “Edit Text” to update the font, size and more. To change and reuse text themes, go to Site Styles.
Meet The Author
Terry Morgan has experienced football as a player, coach, researcher, and lifelong fan. A former college football player and graduate assistant coach at an Ivy League university, he also co-founded the rugby club at Western State College and played competitive rugby for nearly 50 years.
As a U.S. National Luge Champion and 1980 Olympic alternate, Terry brings a unique perspective shaped by competition, coaching, and decades spent studying football’s evolution and player safety.
