How a Pennsylvania Steel Town Made Football Legends

In the early 20th century, the small town of Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, was home to the Jones & Laughlin Steel Company. But when the steel industry declined and the mills closed, the town faced unemployment, followed by a spike in drugs and crime. At the same time, the town was churning out remarkable pro-football players, from Mike Ditka to Darrelle Revis. In Playing Through the Whistle: Steel, Football, and an American Town, S.L. Price, a senior journalist at Sports Illustrated, explores how in the midst of a social crisis, Aliquippa became legendary for producing gifted athletes.