Sanctioned Savagery

A History of Violence in American Football

Michael Oriard

$69.99

Hardback

Forthcoming
Pre-Order now

QTY:

English

The University of North Carolina Press
09 September 2025

Ethnic studies; Sociology: sport & leisure; American football

American football was a violent sport from its beginning as a college game in the

87 s and

88 s, in part because learning how to deal with the pain and violence, to ""take it,"" made men out of college boys. Michael Oriard, former NFL linebacker and professor emeritus of English, shows us that this fundamental belief persisted for more than a century, until signs of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) were found in Pittsburgh Steelers' center Mike Webster's brain. Suddenly, the cost of ""taking it"" could mean long-term damage not just to the body but also to the brain. Without anyone knowing it, that risk had soared since the

95 s and

9 s, when the hardshell plastic helmet became the primary weapon for blocking and tackling, as taught by a new generation of college coaches, led by the University of Alabama's Bear Bryant.

In this cultural history of football at nearly all levels—high school, college, and pro—Oriard traces the perennial tension between health and culture regarding football as reflected in what the public read in newspapers, magazines, and online. Through examining how we once felt and how we now feel about the game, Oriard challenges us to grapple with the possibility that football might be too violent, in an intolerable way.

By: Michael Oriard
Imprint: The University of North Carolina Press
Country of Publication: United States [Currently unable to ship to USA: see Shipping Info]
Dimensions: Height: 235mm, Width: 25mm, Spine: 155mm
ISBN: 9781469690643
ISBN 10: 1469690640
Pages: 304
Publication Date: 09 September 2025
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

Michael Oriard is a retired professor from Oregon State University and a former football player for the University of Notre Dame and the Kansas City Chiefs. He is the author of six previous books about football, including Reading Football, King Football, and Brand NFL.