Synopsis

Drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in 1996, Dawkins fought to elevate not only his own game but that of his entire team. He sweat, bled, and dominated through sixteen season in the NFL all the way into the Hall of Fame, but not for a moment did he believe his strength alone brought him that glory. Every step of the way the Lord had his back. From coaches that wanted to break him to defeats and bitter lessons in humility, his career is a testament to his faith and an homage to the countless people that helped him along the way.

In the wake of his success, Dawkins comes forward to describe his journey to become one the best safeties in the NFL. Physical training wouldn’t cut it. Blessed by the Best follows Dawkins trials to train his mind and faith along with his skill. As a nervous kid from Jacksonville, he never dreamed of one day standing in front of a crowd to accept that golden jacket. But one way or another, he made it. Dawkins tells his story straight, unafraid of exposing his own weaknesses; his over competitive spirit that takes losses to hard, the tunnel vision that estranged him from his kids, and the self-doubt that plagued much of his early years. Triumphs, pitfalls, love, and struggles Dawkins shares them all, not for himself, but in gratitude of those who have helped him along the way.

“I had been blessed by the best. First, that meant the Lord, who has blessed me with so much. It also meant all those people and things around me that I believe were the best for me. Maybe they weren’t the best for somebody else. Your best may not be my best. That’s fine. Everything that has happened to me has been to bring out the best in me. Even the toughest, hardest times in my life were the best things for me. If I hadn’t gone through them, maybe I wouldn’t be the person I am today.”

“This is not a football book. It has football in it, but this is a life tool,” Dawkins told Heavy. “These are things that I have gone through in my life, that others have taught me.”

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Praise

“This book is without a doubt the most powerful and poignant autobiography I’ve ever read by a retired professional athlete – ever. And, of course, it would be. In my nearly three decades of covering the NFL for ESPN, I have never encountered anyone like Brian Dawkins. After reading this highly personal, truly inspirational autobiography, now I know why. If you are a parent, a teacher, a coach, a leader in any way in your profession or life, you can learn so much from Brian and this book. His message cuts through all the clutter of our age. His life is a timely reminder that we can do good, for ourselves, our families, our community and our country. Brian is a living embodiment of that. This book is testimony to that achievement – and it can be yours, too.” –Sal Paolantonio, National Correspondent, ESPN

“Blessed by the Best” is a journey into the life of someone who inspired me to never settle for being mediocre. Brian Dawkins’ aim in life has always been to be better than those around him physically, mentally and spiritually. Brian was not only an incredible football player but an awesome friend, and his faith and drive are electric and contagious. “Blessed by the Best” is a must read and will surely motivate you in all areas of your life.”-Brian Westbrook, two-time Pro Bowl halfback with the Eagles and San Francisco, 2002-10

“Just as he played, his book is honest and passionate. He reveals his struggles and accomplishments from his point of view. My favorite player of all time in any sport. Went to Canton to see him inducted. It was an incredible trip. Wishing him many more blessings.”- Mommashark, Amazon

“Amazing Book! This book is definitely worth reading. As a person struggling or anyone that wants advice to help guide you to overcome and become stronger in different aspects of your life, I would suggest this.”-Flea, Amazon

Guest Review by Nora

‘Blessed By the Best,’ is not just a memoir by famous football Hall-of-Famer Brian Dawkins, but in some ways, it is a self-help book for people who may be a little lost and seeking guidance on themselves and their relationship with God.

Brian Dawkins was raised in Jacksonville, Florida in a neighborhood that anyone of us would probably recognize. From this normal childhood came a great football player, who would later go on to join the hall of fame. But Dawkins himself insists that he is not any more special than anyone else, and that his mindset and his faith are what propelled him to the station that he now has in life.

Coming up from humble beginnings and not being a particularly big guy, Dawkins did not seem slated for greatness as a child. After struggling academically, he was granted a scholarship to Clemson University only because a friend from his high school football team requested that he be given one.

Dawkins took that golden opportunity and ran with it. With the help of his wife, Connie, Dawkins used his natural ambition and his faith to take hold of every opportunity he was given– and that includes his failures, which he views as learning opportunities. Eventually, Dawkins would go on to play 16 seasons for the Philadelphia Eagles and, later, the Denver Broncos, before deciding to retire. Dawkins was then inducted into the hall of fame, a process which he fully describes in the book.

‘Blessed By the Best,’ is as insightful as it is compelling, and it is certainly a great read. Before this book, I never knew how good of a writer Brian Dawkins is, and it definitely made me want to read more of his thoughts. We don’t share the same religious views but I still learned a lot and it inspired me.

This book is a fascinating look into the life of a talented guy, and I’m glad I read it!

Excerpt

How His Faith Continued to Impact His Play

Many people say that the biggest jump an NFL player makes comes between his first and second years. He understands the game better, both on and off the field. Everything isn’t new anymore. He should have learned how to watch film more carefully. He should have a better understanding of how he must train and prepare— not only the importance of, but also having a plan to care of his body and deal with what goes on inside a locker room. In short, he is no longer a rookie.

All of that happened to me, but the biggest jump I made was in my faith. That’s when the Second Letter of Paul to St. Timothy came in. One verse in particular spoke powerfully to me, and it helped me greatly with my ability to live as a man and thrive as a football player.

For the Lord has not given us a spirit of fear but one of power, love, and of a sound mind [or self-control]. – 2 Timothy 1:7

Thinking about that verse and meditating on it would help me overcome those anxious moments, even on the field. If a bad play happened, I might have had an instinct to play the next one more safely or carefully. I could have been afraid to give up another big play. Instead, I would repeat that message to myself, and I would believe it. And when the next play happened, I might step in front of a pass and take it the other way. Or I might make a big hit that changes the game’s momentum. It made me more confident. I had a sound mind. I had self-discipline. I was not fearful of playing aggressive. I was operating in my full God-given power. And as long as I had been operating in fear, I wasn’t giving all I had to give. Which was hurting my teammates more than me making an occasional mistake because I was taking educated guesses.

In that moment, the Lord did not give us fear. That is something we have brought on ourselves. The Lord gave us power and love and strong minds, and we have to accept those gifts and use them. The combination of my faith and belief in the good things the Lord gave me, along with understanding the game better, really knowing the playbook and being able to anticipate what would happen next, made me a better player. I believed I could run with those fastest wide receivers. I could tackle running backs that other defensive players struggled to deal with. Even take on the biggest of cats if need be. No, I didn’t win every battle, but when that happened I was coming back harder next time.

I remember in 1998 tackling Hall of Famer Barry Sanders in the open field. Very few people could do that, because once Barry got past the line of scrimmage, he had so many moves he could make people look really bad. So, I was thinking, “Oh, I can play this game.” It was a powerful feeling, because I believed in the gifts the Lord had given me, and I had the physical gifts and desire to put in the work. Talk about a great combination.

© Blessed by the Best by Brian Dawkins (Pages 114-115, 116)

About the Author

Brian Dawkins entered the NFL in the second round of the 1996 draft and has since achieved 1,131 tackles, 37 achieved passes, 26 recorded sacks and 19 fumble recoveries, which has earned him a place in the NFL Hall of Fame. Out of his 16 career seasons, Dawkins spent 13 with the Eagles before signing as an unrestricted free agent with the Denver Broncos in 2008. Despite the team change, Dawkins still holds several team records for the Eagles, and as of 2012 his jersey number 20 has become one of only nine to be retired in the history of the franchise.

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