For fans of professional football who thought they had read everything about the history of the game, Mark L. Ford breaks new ground with this account of the NFL preseason. Described as test labs by Ford, preseason games are a time for trying out new strategies, considering future rule changes, and implementing television coverage innovations. For thousands of players who vie for a spot in the league every summer, the preseason is also the defining moment where careers can be made or broken.A History of NFL Preseason and Exhibition Games: 1986 to 2013is one of two books by Ford on professional footballs preseason. Along with its companion volumewhich covers 1960 to 1985these resources provide information on every NFL and AFL preseason game played since the AFL was launched in 1960. All the interesting events and people that were part of these summer battles are detailed, as well as the first outings for new teams, new rules, and new stars. Ford also includes amusing anecdotes and mishaps, such as a last-minute defeat in 2000 when a player tackled his own teammate.Along the way, Ford recounts key off-season developments that would transform professional football from a modest enterprise into a global monopoly with annual revenues and assets worth billions.A History of NFL Preseason and Exhibition Gamesis a unique and important reference for pro football fans and cultural historians alike.

Mark L. Ford is assistant editor of the Professional Football Researchers Association and President of the Eastern Broadcasting Company. He is a frequent contributor toCoffin Corner, journal of the Professional Football Researchers Association.

AcknowledgmentsIntroduction1. 1986: Live from London, the American Bowl2. 1987: Auditioning the Replacements3. 1988: Back to Barnstorming4. 1989: Everyone Wants a NFL Team5. 1990: Beat the Clock6. 1991: Meaningless Game, Meaningful Competition7. 1992: The Amazing Minnesota Vikings8. 1993: Salary Cap On, Intentional Grounding Off9. 1994: Going for Two, Going to Fox10. 1995: Arizona, Carolina, Jacksonville, Oakland, and St. Louis11. 1996: Clevelands Loss, Baltimores Gain12. 1997: The NFLs Memphis Blues13. 1998: Good-bye NBC, Welcome Back CBS14. 1999: Return of the Browns, Debut of the Titans15. 2000: Y2K + NFL16. 2001: Men in Stripes, Men on Strike17. 2002: And Houston Makes Thirty-Two18. 2003: Preseason Champs, NFL Champs19. 2004: Preseasons Worst, NFLs Best20. 2005: A Summer of Farewells21. 2006: NBC Returns, ABC Leaves22. 2007: The Goodell Era Begins23. 2008: Toward a Shorter Preseason24. 2009: Bigger, Better, and More Expensive25. 2010: Goodell Offers Two in Exchange for Eighteen26. 2011: Averting a Players Strike27. 2012: The Summer of Replacement Officials28. 2013: Many Happy ReturnsBibliographyIndexAbout the Author