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Tom Dempsey's 63-yard field goal is an NFL record that has stood uneclipsed for 40 years, but the former Saint considers himself more than a one-kick pony, Seth Wickersham writes.

Well before the NFL draft begins in New York, the battle over pro prospects has already been waged. Scouts, head coaches, GMs and owners all have conflicting agendas, and it's the players who get caught in the crossfire.

In the January 11, 2010 issue of ESPN The Magazine, Seth Wickersham looks at the factors associated with successful NFL head coaches and determines the next great one will be ... Marty Mornhinweg. No, really. Read it and you'll see.

Story | Conversation | January 05, 2010

The NFL has commissioned several studies trying to unlock the secrets to winning. An independent study might have uncovered a formula that, in theory, could predict success for head coaches, writes Seth Wickersham.

Recent decisions by the New England Patriots and Jacksonville Jaguars add more fuel to the clock-management debate, writes Seth Wickersham.

Although they seem simple on the surface, option routes require a special chemistry between a quarterback and receiver, writes Seth Wickersham.

For the November 2, 2009 issue of ESPN The Magazine, Seth Wickersham explores the evolution of route-running in the NFL. It's gone from choreography to chaos in some respects.

Story | Conversation | October 19, 2009

How did famed defensive mind Bill Belichick learn offense? The clues are in an 80-year-old man's trailer deep in Tennessee, Seth Wickersham writes.

For the September 7 issue of ESPN The Magazine, Seth Wickersham profiles New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and his coaching tree; while producing Romeo Crennel, Charlie Weis, etc, it hasn't been very successful. Why?

Story | Conversation | August 26, 2009

Nothing will undo a player's reputation for toughness faster than complaining about it. Stoicism and other factors are reasons why we'll never have a measure of how resilient these athletes are, writes Seth Wickersham.

There's a chance the NFL could go without a salary cap during the 2010 season. And, oddly, that would end up hurting free agents.

Story | Conversation | April 29, 2009

The struggling Chargers are a prime example of the defining story of the year: the gap between the league's best coaches and the pretty good ones.

The best QBs make the best coaches look good. Mike Shanahan finally has his ideal project in Jay Cutler, Seth Wickersham writes.