THE SPORTSMAN

Freethinking NFL linebacker opens up about his adventures tackling the globe for two seasons on the Travel Channel.

The gridiron just isn’t big enough to hold Jones, a decade-plus NFL veteran. Despite that remarkable feat, the debut author has had to continually fend off critics who say his varied outside interests distract from his game—among them, the design and manufacture of his signature bowties. The criticism reached its apex a couple of years ago when the author started secretly shooting episodes of Dhani Tackles the Globe during the off-season. His reality show took him around the world and placed him in sporting arenas and cultures totally alien to him. Far from hindering his day job, Jones writes, butting heads with opponents as daunting as Singaporean dragonboat racers, Senegalese strongmen and latter-day Vikings has made him a much better football player. Beyond that, he insists, it made him a better human being. With co-writer Grotenstein, Jones offers a thought-provoking adventure story that’s part travelogue, part sports journal and even part fitness manual. The pages turn quickly in anticipation of the next stop on Jones' itinerary. Breaking down stereotypes is fun and fulfilling, but Jones spends an equal amount of time slaying his own demons, both physical and mental. A cathartic, inspiring tale that promises much more to come.