In Second to None, author Joe Valerio tells the incredible story of the Buffalo Bills: the perpetual almost-champions and their indomitable fans. The Bills’ incredible skill and teamwork on the field was matched only by their single-minded determination as, in the four years spanning 1991 to 1994, the team won four consecutive conference championships, and lost four consecutive Super Bowls. The peaks and nadirs of their record reflect a fascinatingly dynamic, uneven, and—at times—uncontrollable array of talents. Valerio renders in sharp detail how the Bills’ unique culture was formed by an unlikely ecosystem of world-class athletes hunkered down in bleak western New York, far away from the celebrity playgrounds of other pro teams. Meticulously researched and carefully crafted, this one-of-a-kind look inside the Super Bowl–era Buffalo Bills is based on extensive interviews with the key players, coaches, and management, including Hall of Famers Jim Kelly, Thurman Thomas, Bruce Smith, as well as coach Marv Levy, general manager Bill Polian, and many others, including players and coaches from opposing teams, and the reporters who covered them.

Joe Valerio is a sportswriter and producer who covered sports for People and Sport magazines, among others. For more than 10 years, he was a producer with ABC News and CBS Sports, where he won multiple Emmy awards for writing and producing. He has produced the Sports Reporters numerous other programs for ESPN for 23 years. He lives in Westport, Connecticut. Steve Tasker is a former NFL player who played for the Buffalo Bills for 12 seasons. He currently works as an analyst for CBS sports. He lives in Buffalo, New York. Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2001, Marv Levy coached the Buffalo Bills from 1986 to 1997, leading the team to four straight Super Bowl appearances. He resides in Chicago, Illinois.