Sports fans know the scene: a young athlete sitting at home, perhaps surrounded by supporters, watching the unfolding spectacle of the NFL Draft. He sees ebullient, often familiar faces on screen, anticipation building with each round, every phone ring. A call from one of the 32 NFL teams during the league's yearly three-day draft is the high point of many football players’ careers—but that call is merely the beginning. The superstar collegian becomes a lowly rookie who must attend mandatory workouts in the spring and then compete for a spot on a team's 53-man roster that summer. The dozens of "53rd men" profiled in this book hail from different locales and have varied backstories, with a shared goal: breaking through and becoming a playmaker. As author Vampatella (The Forgotten Game, 2021) writes, "NFL fans know the story of Peyton Manning, but they don’t know the stories of these men, whose journeys represent dedication, grit, determination, disappointment, elation, resilience, heartbreak, and joy." With heart, Vampatella tracks each man’s quest to find a home in the NFL and get a shot at football immortality. This is a book that transcends sports and captures the spirit and will of athletes.

Booklist, Starred Review

Ever wondered what it's like to play pro football? Find out with the 53rd Man: Fighting to Make It in the NFL, a spectacular behind-the-scenes look at the most common and most commonly misunderstood careers in football. Learn from four players, including a three-time Super Bowl champion, and receiver who caught passes from Tom Brady and Drew Brees, how the path to NFL glory is paved with grit, anxiety and hardship. How fragile the line is between in and out, dreams and reality for even the greatest athletes in America's greatest game.

Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald Patriots beat reporter

This book is for any person who might be afraid to dream, and dream big. These stories will inspire you to go after whatever big things are on your heart!

Mark Householder, president, Athletes in Action

53rd Man invites us into the compelling behind-the-scenes drama that goes into making an NFL roster. I felt like I was reading episodes of Hard Knocks that were seasoned with inspiring stories of faith. For any football fan wondering what the daily grind looks like for those on the edge of the roster, this book demands your attention from the first page to the last. Vampatella puts you in the locker room, practice field, and the sideline of the game as these men compete with and against the best the NFL has to offer. Vampatella has given football fans a gift in the 53rd Man!

Brian Smith, author of The Christian Athlete

John Vampatella's 53rd Man: Fighting to Make It in the NFL is a terrific read for fans of all NFL teams. The interesting stories of Geremy Davis, Matthew Slater, Marcell Ateman, and Austin Carr include great behind-the-scenes details and conversations that diehard football fans like me absolutely love! This may be John's best work yet.

Scott Cordischi, sports talk show host on WEEI

Vampatella takes us on an incredible journey through the lives of NFL players and the hard work and dedication they put in both in making it onto an NFL roster, as well as preparing for life after the game. You actually feel as though you're taking the journey with each player, and it's definitely a tough book to put down as you follow each of their stories.

Ian Logue, founder of PatsFans.com