It's Better to Be Feared: The New England Patriots Dynasty and the Pursuit of Greatness Hardcover - 2021

From the rear cover

"Seth Wickersham has managed to do the impossible: he has pulled off the definitive document of the Belichick/Brady dynasty."
--Bill Simmons, The Ringer

"A tour de force work befitting the American sports franchise of this century. Wickersham's terrific prose and story-telling is buttressed by his tireless and insightful reporting, going back to revealing stories of Tom Brady's pre-dynasty life (he really should have been a San Diego Charger) and chronicling inner-inner workings showing Bill Belichick's ruthless greatness. There's so much more. You think you know everything, or almost everything about the Patriots' dynasty? You don't, and you won't, until you read It's Better to be Feared."
--Peter King, NBC Sports

"Seth Wickersham's prose soars in this fascinating study of two of the most iconic figures in sports history, and the New England Patriots dynasty they helped build. It's Better to Be Feared will leave you with new insights into Brady and Belichick, their motivations and their vulnerabilities."
--Kevin Merida, executive editor of the Los Angeles Times and former editor-in-chief of ESPN's The Undefeated

"Seth Wickersham has broken open the black box that is the New England Patriots franchise under Bill Belichick. He takes the reader inside the locker room until they almost feel like they are standing by Tom Brady's side as he wins Super Bowls--and as his relationship with the team deteriorates. It's a beautifully written narrative on top of unprecedented access."
--Sally Jenkins, The Washington Post

"I thought there was nothing more I needed--or wanted--to know about Tom Brady, Bill Belichick, or the New England Patriots. But Seth Wickersham has proved me wrong. And how. This deeply informed and fluent book is about what it takes to succeed in the ruthless, cruel, often euphoric world of the NFL--all the things you must be and all the things you can't be as a human being, and how for the first two decades of the twenty-first century the Patriots--behind an unathletic quarterback nobody wanted--did it best. From brilliant, ice-cold head coach Belichick's 'emotionless pursuit of victory' to the hot-blooded, 'earnestly graceful' Brady's massive desire, we see the price these champions had to pay. Yes, this is about football, about two unusual men who still compete at the highest level, even though finally separated. But above all it's about personalities and mindsets and the confluence of striving, skill, and luck in the making of success. And that makes it about life, generally. What a terrific, fascinating read."
--Rick Telander, Chicago Sun-Times

"That the New England Patriots were not only the greatest team of all time but also the luckiest is once again demonstrated by the fact that Seth Wickersham has become their biographer. And I do mean biographer, for Wickersham has told the story of their quest for greatness not just on an epic scale but also on a human one. You still might not like Brady and Belichick after reading this book--after all, they weren't trying to be liked. But you will admire them, and most amazingly of all, you will see glimpses of yourself."
--Tom Junod, two-time National Magazine Award winner

Media reviews

Citations

• Booklist, 10/15/2021, Page 8
• Kirkus Reviews, 11/01/2021, Page 0
• Library Journal, 10/01/2021, Page 86