Madden & Summerall by Rich Podolsky: Book Review

Madden & Summerall is the latest release from Rich Podolsky. With an anticipated release date of September 16, 2025, this book offers readers an inside look at the greatest football duo ever: John Madden and Pat Summerall.

I want to thank The Globe Pequot Publishing Group Inc., Lyons Press, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of Madden & Summerall: How They Revolutionized NFL Broadcasting. All opinions presented here are my own.

Synopsis from Goodreads

This is the story of how John Madden and Pat Summerall got to CBS and, although very different, how they became the greatest broadcast team of all time. It is told by Rich Podolsky, who worked alongside them both at CBS.
 
Separately, they were great. Together, they were the greatest ever. Madden & Summerall is about two stalwarts of the game, but their story is not without controversy. Summerall was a five-sport star who became a broadcaster by accident. Uncharacteristically, he was a morning drive-time radio host before he found his path on TV. Madden was a bigger-than-life Super Bowl-winning coach, and he easily could have been a stand-up comedian.
 
We all remember the great story-telling John Madden, who won sixteen Emmy Awards, but we don’t remember how much he struggled his first two years on the air to find his way. In fact, he was almost fired after his first season. It wasn’t until he was paired with Summerall that it all clicked. They were so different, yet so perfect together—like peanut butter meeting jelly for the first time.

My Opinions

As a kid growing up in the 1980s and 1990s, Madden and Summerall were the voices of my fall. From September through January, every Sunday, my TV was tuned to football. And more often than not, I heard these two men talking about my favorite sport for three hours.

While I loved learning more about Madden and Summerall, their backgrounds made them into the men we all knew and loved; the book was a bit clunky at times. When the author quoted people interviewed for the book, he consistently used the phrase, “when contacted for this book.” Maybe use that phrase at the beginning of the book, or not at all. But it definitely didn’t need to be used repeatedly.

Overall, I enjoyed my time with Madden & Summerall. While reading it, I laughed, cried, and definitely smiled! Who do I think would enjoy this book? People like me, who grew up in the 80s and 90s, watched football every week.

Are you looking for some more books to read? Check out my bookish lists, book reviews, and monthly reading wrap-ups.