Turf Wars

The Fight for the Soul of America's Game

By: DeMaurice Smith

Narrated by: DeMaurice Smith

An NFL insider’s explosive account of the ruthless power struggles between owners and players over the future of football.

During his fourteen years as the head of the NFL Players Association, DeMaurice Smith was a front line advocate for football players through some of the most tumultuous crises in NFL history: Colin Kaepernick’s protests, Deflategate, a lockout, two collective bargaining agreements, and more. But after witnessing the league’s troubling response to discrimination and racial unrest, both within the league and beyond, Smith realized it was time to pull back the curtain and speak truth to power.

Drawing from his years of unprecedented access and unparalleled knowledge of America’s favorite sport, Smith documents his years leading the NFLPA and explains how the NFL distorts the truth, telling partial stories to insulate itself and grow its $20-billion-a-year brand—and the players’ battles to protect themselves.

From contract negotiations to battles over suspensions, Smith shows us how the union fought to protect players from the greed, racism, and dishonesty the league is built on. He also takes readers inside closed-door meetings and unreported conversations and confrontations with the industry’s most powerful figures such as Robert Kraft, Jerry Jones, Tom Brady, and Roger Goodell.

Turf Wars puts every NFL crisis—both familiar and lesser known—within a broader cultural and historical context, framing the league’s extraordinary rise as a mirror to America’s own history. Revelatory and profound, Turf Wars is a book about the soul of football: its degradation, and how to save it.

Critic reviews

“A no-holds-barred look at [Smith’s] tenure at the helm of the labor union . . . Heartlessness was typical, in Smith’s telling, and caused him to view the ‘greedy billionaires’ running the league as ‘the same kinds of people who have traditionally accumulated power in the United States: rich, narcissistic, insecure.’ This insider account hits hard.”—Publishers Weekly

“Depicts an industry awash in bad blood . . . Smith took the job in what looked like a hopeful new era epitomized by Barack Obama’s presidency, but his ‘idealism’ was destroyed by his dealings with the powerful men who run the game. . . . Smith includes memorable glimpses of star players . . . [and] shares fascinating anecdotes about the intrigue surrounding union votes and how some influential players are increasingly susceptible to ‘the misinformation virus.’”—Kirkus Reviews

“With obvious appeal to football fans interested in a behind-the-scenes look at the battles between players and ownership, Smith’s story would benefit anyone looking to work (or play) in the professional sports arena.”—Booklist

Tales of Survival

Smith's passion is evident in his narration. He is shows great understanding of the machinations of the various forces at work within the NFL. His protection of million dollar players from billion dollar owners takes him on a neverending rollercoaster hell-bent on destroying anyone foolish enough to be the NFLPA's Executive Director.

It's a great read/ listen!

Family Legacy, Vulnerability, and Diplomatic Strategy

This was an honor to read. You are a beacon of hope and no doubt have made an impact that will shake the world of leverage, business, and sports for years to come. The Ancestors are more than proud of what you represent every day and thank you for showing what’s behind the scenes of the elite NFL workings

His honesty in his job as NFLPA executive director.

I have listened to D for many years on the Sports Junkies in Washington DC morning radio. D is one smart cookie and he certainly pulled back the curtain on how ruthless the team owners are. The reading was excellent and D’s story and performance were top notch.

Just the facts on the NFL

Turf Wars by De Smith is a journey behind the scenes of the NFL. It unfiltered, informative and important!

Great Book!!!

I loved how this book was able to give us a peak of the meetings after and before the meetings we hear about in the media.
D Smith showed how important the NFLPA is to the players and how his leadership and the leadership of his team supported the players during some of the most critical times we have seen in recent memory in America.

He showed that “Leadership Matters” in the book, no matter whether you are in a room with owners, players, or media speaking up against what is wrong and fighting for what is right is easy to say but hard for most to do. His integrity was on display in this book!

Great Job D Smith!