The Quarterback Whisperer: How to Build an Elite NFL Quarterback

by Bruce Arians

What is an elite NFL QB and what separates that player from the others? One answer is the coach they share. In the recent history of the biggest game on earth, one man is the common thread that connects several of the very best in the Peyton Manning; Ben Roethlisberger; Andrew Luck; and the resurgent Carson Palmer. That coach is Bruce Arians. A larger than life visionary who trained under the tutelage of Bear Bryant, Arians has had a major impact on the development and success of each of these players. For proof beyond the stats, go to the sources. "Bruce is gonna love you when you need some loving, but he's gonna jump on you when you're not doing right." -- Peyton Manning "He coaches the way players want to be coached." -- Ben Roethlisberger "He made players comfortable around him and let everybody have their own personality. He didn't force anybody to be someone they weren't. It may sound a little corny or cheesy, but there's merit to that. I felt comfortable being myself and I felt he had my back." -- Andrew Luck "We're a resilient group. It trickles down from the head coach. I think good teams, really good teams, and hopefully great teams take on their coach's mentality. I think that's what B.A. brings . . . " -- Carson Palmer Known around the game as the 'quarterback whisperer', Arians has an uncanny ability to both personally connect with his quarterbacks and to locate what the individual triggers are for that player to succeed. No two quarterbacks are the same. And yet with Arians they always share success. In this book Arians will explain how he does it.

Genres: Sports, Football, Nonfiction, Biography, Leadership

257 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 11, 2017

Reviews

[Lance · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bruce Arians is the current head coach of the Arizona Cardinals, but has been known to be one of the best quarterback coaches in the history of the NFL. He has been called “the quarterback whisperer” for his ability to get quarterbacks to play to the best of their abilities. This book with that title is an excellent memoir on how he has been able to connect with some of the best players in recent years to play the position.

Arians states that he believes the perfect quarterback would be a mixture of the following: “ the heart and mind of Peyton Manning, the grit and leadership of Big Ben [Roethlisberger], the athleticism of Andrew Luck and the arm of Carson Palmer.” It isn’t a coincidence that these four men are the players he felt that have been the most successful of those he has coached.

The book reveals many of Araian’s plays, coaching techniques and psychology he uses in order to get the most out of his quarterbacks. It does not get too technical (even his play calling) so that casual fans will enjoy reading this book without getting bogged down, but sophisticated enough that football junkies will also enjoy it as well.

Interspersed within the stories he shares about each of the four quarterbacks, he tells about his family, his early days of coaching at Alabama under legendary coach Paul “Bear” Bryant, and how he balances his work and family life. Given the workload of current coaches in both the college and professional levels, with many of them sleeping in their offices, it is refreshing to see a dedicated coach be just as dedicated to his family. Through reading the book, it is clear how much he loves his wife Chris and his children.

More than just a book on X’s and O’s, this memoir of one of the best football minds on an NFL sideline today is one that must be read by all football fans, no matter what level of fan he or she is or what team the reader follows. It is a fast paced, fun read that will be enjoyed by anyone who opens the book.

I wish to thank Hatchette Books for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

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[Alexander Fitzgerald · Rating 4 out of 5]

Saw this one on sale at a used book store. Picked it up because I'm intrigued how Bruce Arians came back to the NFL to try and turn Jameis Winston around. I thought I might get some insight into the man through his book.

What you get in The Quarterback Whisperer, however, is not so much Bruce Arians as good football journalism.

The book reads like a (long) great article for Sports Illustrated, where "Bruce Arians" breaks down each quarterback he's worked with.

There's not much in the way of insider knowledge on each guy. It's mostly information you've heard before if you've followed the NFL through the years.

On occasion, Bruce Arian's philosophies or euphemisms will leak out, but after finishing the book you'll wonder how much involvement he really had.

It's definitely entertaining stuff for a football fan, but it won't teach aspiring coaches a ton. I had a good time reading the book and got a lot out of Bruce Arians's can-do attitude, but I was left wanting more.

[ben kooker · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very informative and interesting book! Being that it was about football, I found it very easy to dive into it and read it without wanting to put it down. Coach Arians gives some of his secrets to being a successful coach, and also shares many of stories of his quarterbacks that he worked with. He goes in depth about his upcoming and personal football career. He is a very smart coach who shares a like mindset with me as a football fan. I’m not really sure how to describe the plot because it’s an autobiography about his life in coaching, but it was very cool! Some of the characters in the book outside of Bruce were Carson Palmer, Peyton Manning, Ben Roethlisberher, and many other of his former players. One of my favorite stories from the book was about Dave Marler. Dave Marler was listed as a kicker when Bruce Arians was the quarterbacks coach at Mississippi St. After Bruce saw him throw a football before practice one day he turned the former quarterback, now kicker into a starting SEC quarterback. Dave Marler went from 5th string quarterback to breaking SEC and Miss. St. passing records all through the help of quarterback whisperer Bruce Arians. This was a great football biography and showed me what a comedic and witty guy Coach Arians is. Definitely a must read for real football Fans!

[Whitney · Rating 4 out of 5]

"No risk it, no biscuit." The mantra of one of the greatest NFL coaches of this time.

Bruce Arians is a character all unto himself. Growing up in a blue-collar part of Pennsylvania, Arians has been unfiltered since birth and it's damn fantastic. The Quarterback Whisperer not only gives readers an inside look into what makes up a great QB, but also who the man under the infamous flat hat is.

The life of a football coach (and his family) is not an easy one and Arians makes sure the reader understands that. From surprise firings to borderline retirement, cancer battles and the death of a long-time mentor, Bruce gives us NFL fans exactly what we'd want from a coach's memoir.

I highly recommend this for any football fan.

[Tony · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m not really a football fan, but I enjoyed this book. It’s title is a bit misleading though. The book does get into what makes a quarterback successful, but it’s mainly an autobiography of Bruce Arians.

[William Flow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very quick read, hard to put down. Arians outlines what all young quarterbacks need to follow to be great like the players mentioned in the book.

[Bryan Nelson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great read to learn more about B.A. As a Chicago Bears fan I was a bit bummed when they didn't sign him. As a Phoenix native, I'm thrilled I get to cheer him and the AZ Cardinals on. This book, for me, was a glimpse into B.A.'s approach to leadership through the examples of his role with different QBs (Peyton M., Ben R., Andrew L. and Carson P.). So as much value and enjoyment I got from learning more about B.A. I got equal amount of enjoyment getting a look into these great QBs.

[Hank Lucas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bruce gives a detailed description of his life starting as a five year old in West Virginia, through all of his coaching jobs, to finally a head coach for the Arizona Cardinals. The book first described Peyton Manning's upbringing as well as the time Bruce spent with him as his quarterbacks coach. It then turns to Ben Roethlisberger, and his childhood through his early years in the NFL. The section on Andrew Luck goes through his German childhood to the NFL. He starts his chapter on Carson Palmer on the first time he had been on the opposite team as Carson. He goes through his career and relationship with Carson up to present day.
This book is a complete masterpiece showing what a great quarterback should be. Bruce explains the coaching journey he went through starting when he was five years old. The book has extended chapters on Carson Palmer, Andrew Luck, Peyton Manning, and Ben Roethlisberger. The relationship that Bruce has with players gives you a real feel of all of these quarterbacks. This book also explains his favorite staple routes and passing concepts, and rhythm throws.

[Ian Allan · Rating 4 out of 5]

He's got something to bring to the table. He's coached Peyton Manning, Ben Roethlisberger, Andrew Luck, Carson Palmer and others, and he gives us some behind-the-curtain stories. He seems to be one of the league's best offensive coaches, with more ability than most to break down defenses. Also seems to be a nice guy -- has a stronger relationship with his players than most.

He gives us an idea of his philosophy. He believes in passing deep -- having that option/potential on every play -- and he believes in having the QB and offensive coach joined at the hip. He wants the QB to pick a lot of plays and have a lot of input, which seems like a good idea.

He doesn't allow hazing, and he wants players to police each other -- he wants players to be leaders of the team.

Arians is good, and he showed that at a young age, specifically when he converted a punter into his quarterback (at Mississippi State) and had him throw for a zillion yards at Alabama in the '70s.

One glaring typo, where it's written than Ryan Leaf of Washington State led the 'Huskies' to the Rose Bowl. Proofer should have caught that one.

Also it's a little awkward in that the story is written first person, but then it toggles at times into quotes by the key players around Arians -- his players, family and fellow coaches.

[Joe Loncarich · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bruce Arians is such a football guy that, since he was lactose intolerant, drank paint instead to make his bones strong. He went to the hospital twice for drinking paint. The most disappointing part of that is that I'll never know how many times he drank paint, only how many times he went to the hospital from lead poisoning.

Anyway, if you're a football guy, you should probably read this book.

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished Bruce Arians’ book... It immediately takes a spot on my list of favorite books. His insights on leadership are great, and it’s fascinating to read about his experiences with all of the quarterbacks he has coached. Definitely worth checking out if you are a football fan.

And remember... No risk it, no biscuit.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book I read after finishing "Battlefield Earth," so my first reaction is to say that Bruce Arians and Lars Anderson are the best writers of all time.

Then I calm down a bit.

This was enjoyable, particularly as an NFL fan who really paid attention to the game from the mid-90s until 2012 or so (I still follow it, of course). It reads just like your uncle telling you stories about his glory days.

The book's selling points are on four quarterbacks who have made waves for a period of time in the league (P. Manning, Roethlisberger, A. Luck, C. Palmer), but it also includes another name (K. Holcomb) who fits Arians' description of a true NFL-caliber quarterback.

I know that I'll be watching future drafts from the QB angle and look to see which QBs were running a spread offense in college and which ones were running a pro-style offense...and then see how they do in the NFL. Apparently, college QBs who run spread offenses are way behind the curve when they arrive at the NFL, and not just because the game is a lot faster.

As a Steeler fan, I was curious how Arians was going to deal with his Pittsburgh anecdotes, with Roethlisberger's sexual assault allegations (he doesn't take a definitive stance on his opinion) and even how he was let go.

Arians' personal anecdotes are almost more interesting that reading about how he helped develop some of the premiere names to stand under center in the modern era. He coached under Bear Bryant, was roommates with Tiki and Ronde Barber's dad at Virginia Tech, and even got expelled from high school.

After reading this, I think I'd like to drop by and hang out at one of his post-game tailgate parties.

[Zach Koenig · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bruce Arians has coached quite a stable of NFL quarterbacks over the course of his coaching tenure: Peyton Manning, Ben Roethlisburger, Andrew Luck, & Carson Palmer. "The Quarterback Whisperer" is the story of his coaching and personal interactions with those players, as well as his own life around the game of football.

The stories of Arians' career and interactions with players carry the text in this one. With such a notable resume to his credit, the tales he can tell are engrossing and exciting for football fans. It's always interesting to see the often difficult life of an up-and-coming coach too (as only the select few truly "hit it big" in the NFL).

Of course, with this book being essentially written by Arians himself, the major weakness is that he has nothing bad to say about any of "his guys". Admirable in the locker-room sense, but a bit transparent in reality. For example, it's tough for me to accept at face value his rosy portrayal of Roethlisburger, who has proven again and again to be a less than savory character off the football field. I realize that these kind of things are just "what happens" in a book like this, but sometimes it can be a bit difficult to stomach.

So, if reading "Quarterback Whisperer", take the player characterizations with a grain of salt but stick around for the great football stories. A lot of nostalgia for players past and football insights into players present. Basically, a fun read for football fans that doesn't go deep into anything besides Arians' own sanitized thoughts.

[Jamie Watts · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an absolute legend. Reading this so soon after Arians recent retirement & tearful last press conference as the HC of the Cardinals made it truly bittersweet to read.

A great insight into the methods & character of a uniquely charismatic sports figure, focusing on his ability to have seemingly always got the very best of NFL quarterbacks. He has always seemed to work with, & indeed mould, the very best ranging from Peyton Manning to Carson Palmer, Andrew Luck etc.

A real players coach, Arians excelled in his unconventional personality which always made it his press conferences so uniquely engaging in this age of bland, cliched sports stars typical statements & interviews with the press. This book reveals them, from his post game tail gate parties to his ‘natty’ (his words) fashion sense. It also contains a respectful tribute to Bear Bryant, allowing the reader to realise just what a significant influence the legendary college coach had had on Arians career, & the caring style he adopted with his players, who you can tell always loved him.

The only minor criticism I would give this otherwise engaging & insightful read is as a narrative, sometimes the structure is a little all over the place & reflects more on random musings that then go back to different periods of Arians career such as his college tenures many pages after having already discussed that period before.

Arians retirement from the NFL is going to make it a much duller place, not just for Cardinals fans but for fans of the sport in general. He truly is one of a kind.

[Derek Millard · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the book “The quarterback whisperer” by Bruce Arians it explains the main things that can make an ordinary quarterback turn into an elite quarterback. Bruce was a quarterback for Virginia in college and then he was a quarterbacks coach for the Indianapolis Colts when Peyton Manning was drafted and helped develop Peyton into one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. With all of his experience adding up throughout his career the Arizona Cardinals gave him a chance to be their head coach and he took the offer and turned the Cardinals into a very good team that went to the NFC championship 2015. One of Bruce’s best strategys on offense is to not be afraid and throw it deep down the field if there is man coverage on your best receiver. Take the shot down the field rather than the checkdown to the running back. Taking chances in the NFL can be lethal in winning games. Out of the four quarterbacks Bruce Arians has coached they all have been to at least two pro bowls and Peyton Manning went to over ten in his career. Whether it was college coaching or NFL coaching Bruce understood the movements and emotions of his quarterbacks very well. I would give this book 5 stars because it gave me a better understanding of football for what quarterbacks have to go through to make the right pass and read the defense.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

not the greatest writer -- he repeats [and explains] his mantra "no risk it, no biscuit" [throw deep, in other words] quite a few times, interspersed with praising himself for being a straight shooter who doesn't BS people, alternating with quoting people [including his wife!] who share the view that he is a straight shooter and doesn't BS people, and so on much more than necessary to make the points.

Also, his analyses of what makes a great NFL QB are not that surprising -- they need to be smart, work hard, have a great arm, leadership, durability, poise.......

That said, it is fun to hear some of the anecdotes from his long coaching career and his work with a lot of great quarterbacks (Luck, P. Manning, Roethlisberger, Palmer..........). Since Big Ben threw for over 500 yards yesterday vs. Ravens, this seems like a good time to post my review.

Award for most moving chapter goes to the one about the ChuckStrong year in Indianapolis when he won coach of the year filling in during Chuck Pagano's cancer treatment.

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bruce Arians tells an entertaining story of his coaching journey as an offensive motivator of a who’s who of quarterbacks ranging from Peyton Manning to Ben Roethlisberger to Andrew Luck to Carson Palmer with others also in the mix. I really liked this book and appreciated BA’s honesty as he tells it like it is. He also sticks with his philosophy of taking risks with his offense instead of playing it conservatively and putting the game’s fate in the hands of his defense, particularly in the final minutes of the game. My only criticism is that the storytelling jumps around instead of following a more chronological sequence and that he repeats himself at times, but overall anyone who likes football will enjoy this book. Now, if only BA Could provide an update with a chapter about Jameis Winston, but we’ll have to wait.

[Derek Shetterly · Rating 4 out of 5]

A must read for any football, or Arizona Cardinals football fan. As a student of the game, Bruce Arians has spent 50 years of his life, either coaching or playing football and has seen it all. From coaching underneath Bear Bryant at Alabama, to building Temple into a winning program, becoming the Associated Press’s Coach of the year (twice) and as a Super Bowl champion; there is nothing in the game Bruce hasn’t accomplished. Bruce and Lars have done a wonderful job detailing that the best quarterbacks aren’t just the ones with the most talent, but the most character. Spoken through words by Carson Palmer, Andrew Luck and Bruce’s wife Chris, each one tells us what they revel about Bruce and how he became the coolest dude in the room and the highest of rollers. “No risk it, no biscuit.”

Side note - as a man who enjoys quotes that derive goosebumps, this book has that in spades.

[Chris B · Rating 2 out of 5]

The cover and subtitle are somewhat misleading; this book is, at its core, a memoir.

There were some editing problems in a few sections of the book. At one point, Arians claims he will never play, in his 5th year, for his new college coach. No explanation is ever offered for why he dislikes the new guy . Then a page later he is best buds with the coach. Huh?

Despite getting fired nearly everywhere he coaches, Arians slowly ascends the ranks until he is an NFL head coach. Throughout the years, his love for throwing tailgate parties, swearing excessively, and needlessly aggressive play-calling never wavers.

The same goes for his confidence. Unfortunately this leads to bouts of cockiness and a general lack of self-reflection, neither of which helps this memoir stand out -- at least not in a positive way.

[Wanda Keith · Rating 5 out of 5]

"No risk it, no biscuit" is the mantra of Bruce Arians, coach of the Arizona Cardinals. This book takes you on a journey from a young man kicked out of high school to one of the best coaches in the NFL. It is mostly about his relationships with his quarterbacks that shape the book and his favorites were Peyton Manning, Andrew Luck, Ben Roethlisberger, and Carson Palmer. Arians had a way of making lemonade out of lemons and always found the best in any situation he found himself in. This is a great book for anyone in regard to doing your best to achieve your goal. Arians did a fantastic job taking the Colts to a winning season when Chuck Pagano was out with cancer and Indianapolis will always have a tender spot for him. Great read.

[Matt Layman · Rating 3 out of 5]

The QB Whisperer is more a collection of storytelling than it is a biography of Bruce Arians. That’s OK — just know what you’re getting into.

As an avid sports fan, a professional sports journalist and only a casual fan of the NFL, I felt this book was entertaining but not fascinating. It was good, and it was particularly useful in exploring the habits and personalities of quarterbacks that Arians worked with. If you want to learn more about what it’s like to coach Andrew Luck, Ben Roethlisberger or Carson Palmer, you should read this.

[Rajiv Bais · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting guy and an ideal book for parents if they want to build a quarterback or athlete at home.

In order to be a good QB in the eyes of Coach Arians, a QB must have the mind and heart of Peyton Manning, leadership of Ben Roethlisberger, athleticism of Andew Luck, and arm of Carson Palmer. If only this book can be successfully updated with a section about Tom Brady. We'll see and hope for the best.

[Vince · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was fun. Although these books are almost always ghostwritten, this one was written in such a way that you could hear BA's authentic voice. They also used this nice device where they would occasionally include another perspective or voice on a story, like a former player or his wife talking about BA or one of his tendencies. Good stuff. I'm not sure I could tell you how to build an elite NFL quarterback after reading this, though.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

As I am still coaching football (47 years and counting), I still get football books as Christmas gifts and here is one...Quick, easy read with very little involving the nuts and bolts of scheme...Mostly the biography and philosophical development of dealing with people and the great athletes in the NFL...Interesting dude and I'm glad he's still involved in our sport with Tampa Bay as a consultant!!

[Andrew Haile · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great book! Learned so much about Bruce Arians that I didn't know, as well as many of the coaches and players he's been alongside during his career. I thought the "small world" scenarios were the most interesting part. Highly recommend this for all football fans. (You know Bruce Arians is a true quarterback whisperer if he got the Browns to the playoffs with Kelly Holcomb!)

[Zach Podunajec · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s was a very good book that gave a lot of insights into what BA looked for in a quarterback and why he looked for such traits. It did get a bit repetitive at times though, jumping back, at times even randomly, to stories that have already been told earlier in the book. Overall a good book if you’re a fan of BA or just football in general.

[Jason Stokes · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent book to understand what it's really like to live and work in the NFL. Arians is the coach everyone wishes they had and every QB wants in his corner. This is one of my favorite bio books ever. Truly entertaining.

[Matt Moran · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining memoir. "No risk it, no biscuit."

The best anecdote in the whole book came on page 1. Bruce Arians needed to get stronger to play football, but he was lactose intolerant. His solution was drinking paint!

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

More of a 3.5 but better than many books written by guys in sports. Some of the repetitiveness that seems to plague those books is present here but all in all he tells his story in a way that makes sense.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Surprisingly better than I thought. I especially enjoyed the parts about the Steelers, but stories of Manning, Luck, Palmer were equally notable. Arians does have an interesting philosophy on leadership and coaching. Very enjoyable for fans of almost any NFL team.