The Big Game

by Tim Green

New York Times bestselling author and former NFL defensive end Tim Green encourages readers to fight for their dreams in this heartfelt story about a young football star grappling with the stress of living up to his father’s name. Perfect for fans of Mike Lupica!

Danny Owens is dedicating his seventh-grade season to his Super Bowl champion father, who recently passed away. Danny promises everyone that, just like his dad, he’ll dominate the big game at the end of the season and earn a spot on the high school varsity team.

Then his English teacher catches him cheating on a test. Even though Danny can retake it, he knows there’s no point. He can’t read. And if Danny can’t pass this class, he won’t be eligible to play in the championship game that could unlock his future.

While his resentment rises against the only person willing to help him win off the field, the pressure to succeed begins to weigh heavily on Danny’s shoulders. Danny is being tested on every level now, and to pass, he may very well have to choose a different path from his father’s.

Genres: Sports, Realistic Fiction, Football, Fiction, Middle Grade, Grief, Teen

336 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 14, 2018

About the author

Tim Green, for many years a star defensive end with the Atlanta Falcons, is a man of many talents. He's the author of such gripping books for adults as the New York Times bestselling The Dark Side of the Game and a dozen suspense novels, including Exact Revenge and Kingdom Come. Tim graduated covaledictorian from Syracuse University and was a first-round NFL draft pick. He later earned his law degree with honors. Tim has worked as an NFL analyst for FOX Sports and as an NFL commentator for National Public Radio, among other broadcast experience. He lives with his wife, Illyssa, and their five children in upstate New York. Football Genius is his first novel for young readers. For more updates, visit www.facebook.com/authortimgreen

Reviews

[Joshua Synnott]

It was a great book that made not want to stop reading.

[Becky Pavich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this book with Alex for his school project. Documenting this as the first book where Alex was hooked by the story said “I want read one more chapter!” For a 5th grader who is a reluctant reader, this book was written just for him. It was an engaging story with chapters written in digestible bites. Thanks, Tim Green!

[Tyler Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good sports book 10/10 would recomend.

[Alizae Yoki]

It was really good because of the tough times the kid had to go through.

[Wyatt Halli · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is a very action packed book and very good

[AlexGUP · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the Book The Big game that was written By the author Tim Green it is a book that starts off with the main character who’s name is Danny owens and how hard his dad his training him to be like him and make it to the Nfl but not only that Danny and his dad both wanted danny to be the first round pick in the nfl and for danny to become very successful in football and they would always talk about how hard Danny has to train to make it and be first round pick in the nfl,His dad wanted Danny to do way better than him in the nfl.This book is good there are always plot twist in this book it is an amazing book there is always good and bad things happening in this book.A summary of the Big game is that something bad happened to him(spoiler alert) his dad sadly passed away and danny was really sad because they were on a run when Danny’s dad’s passed away.So when Danny went to 7th grade that year he was trying to dedicate his 7th grade to his super bowl winner and now passed away father.Danny was not good in school and he had this english teacher called Ms,Rait who he said she was giving him a hard time.He also had a counselor who he was embarrassed of being seen with him he did not wanted people to think he needs help in anything.He did promised everyone that he was going to be in the nfl and that he was going to be exactly/better than his dead dad was before.The first day of school Ms.Rait the english teacher gave them a quiz and Danny and has the same english class as his friend and since he struggles with words and his friend is good with words and Danny sits behind his friend he decided to cheat on the test and then he noticed that the teacher was near him so he changed 2 answers to not get in trouble.His mom also started going thru like depression he started to smoke and drink,Danny started to notice but rather not say anything to his mom because he knew she was going thru pain as well as him for his dad’s death.Some names of characters in the book The Big game are janey and cupcake who are friends to the main character Danny they all spend time together.As a lot of people deal with he also has a bully named markle who always made Danny’s football practice horrible he would always make dirty fouls on Danny in football and would never accept that Danny was good for his age and would never treat him right.Janey was a good friend to danny when he was going thru bad times like when his dad died and no one understood him janey always understood and tried to cheer him up and get his mind clear up,she also helped him in school and she never let him do anything bad ,she always stood by his side and she was always supportive to him and she always cared about him.Cupcake and danny were also good friends and they both helped each other in football,cupcake is a good friends it is just that he is not the smartest and he is mostly un aware of things.another character is coach kinen he was a good person to danny and would help him,and he understood what danney sometimes was going thru,Also that when danny’s dad died and he wanted to quit football coach kenin went to his home and told him he was not only in the that pain. He always tried to help in school and outside of school.Soemthing I loved is how there was good plot twist and you can’t predict what will happen.My Overall opinion of the book is that it is really good and it is one of the best books i have read and it is a book that i enjoyed reading it showed this life lesson of not giving up and not letting people talke you down and teaches a lot and it is a good book.If i had recommended this book i would recommend it to people who like reading sports,non-fiction books because people who like reading/play sports could relate some parts with this book.I would recommend this book to non fiction readers because sports are real and people dealing with wanted to give up on sports because people don’t treat them good ,can read this book and they would learn by this book to not give up that is one thing this book teaches another thing this book teaches is that if some people don't understand you it dosen't mean other people won't

[Carson Torchio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let me just say to start off, that I love Tim Greens work and I practically own all of his sports books. None of them ever disappoint and there is no exception to this one. In this book, The Big Game, there is a middle school boy named Danny Owens who exceeds in football and might just be the best player in the state while he is only in eight grade at the time. He lives in a small, kind of sketchy town in Texas called Crooked Creek with his best friend Janney and Cupcake. The book begins with something terrible happening to Danny's dad while workout out together. He wants to be the greatest football player to ever step foot on the field, and although he has tons of potential, his academics and inability to read is the only thing holding him back. He now has an extra chip on his shoulder to be great for his dad. He was too good a player to be kicked off of the team, so he is allowed to play in the big game. When a sudden injury in practice takes Danny by surprise, he has no choice but to study, read, and get back on track with his grades for when he is able to play again. Even Though, he believes academics are not important because he wants to forgo a career playing football, school is just as important at the time which is one of the very important lessons you will get out of reading this novel. Last but not least, Danny passes his exam and is able to play in the big game under the bright lights. I thought it was a very good ending because he completes his goal and his dad’s goal but I don't want to spoil any further. The only thing I wish that could have been better, hence the 4 stars, was that they talk more and show everything that had happened in the big game. The buildup was excellent but I still needed a little bit more from a reades standpoint. Therefore, I would 100% recommend this book to anyone of any age who likes football, and seeing someone else achieve their goals and persevere with the bonus of a very happy ending. This book is filled with suspense, drama, and action left and right and you can't look away for a second. If you play or even like football in any way, you will find this a blast and very relatable! If you liked any other of Tim Green's books especially the classic, Unstoppable I can assure you, with similar aspects, you will like this one as well!! Just ask yourself after you read this review; Why don't I have this book in my hands already? Happy Reading!

[Caleb Banko · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have you ever wonder how important reading is? In the book The Big Game by Tim Green there a middle school boy named Danny Owens who is excellent in football. He lives in a small town in Texas called Crooked Creek with his best friend Janney and Cupcake. Also, Danny’s English teacher name Ms. Rait and Mr. Crenshaw help Danny out to achieve his goal. I found this book from the bookstore because I enjoy reading Tim Green’s book.
The book opens with Danny’s dad having a heart attack while running with Danny. Danny has a ton of potential of being a great football player but he can’t read at a 7th-grade level. Then Danny finally opens up his problem to Mr. Crebshaw of how he feels about losing his Dad. Lastly, he earned his spot on the team and play the big game. In the middle, the book Danny has a stress fracture in his foot caused him to read more and to get prepared for his midterm exam. Something you need to know is everything in Texas is bigger which includes the competition of football at a young age. Also, Danny only one side that he is great at football so he doesn’t need to read well. Also, the problem with Danny is that when Ms. Rait helps him with and he blames her for his bad reading problem.
In the end, Danny passes his exam and playing the big game. I thought it was a good ending because he completes his goal and his dad’s goal. I wish they talk about the last game more but it was still well. My favorite part of the book was when Danny save Ms. Rait’s kitten from a fire that his teammate started. It was my favorite part because that was the nicest thing he did toward her also it took courage to do something like that. Also, in the end, Mr. Crenshaw tells Danny that Ms. Rait teaches Danny like a coach just the way Danny was taught his entire life. But Danny always focuses on the negative part of life.
I would recommend this book who obviously likes football and like a happy ending. Also, Tim Green’s football book is all about a kid who has challenges in his life and has to preserve to be great. Big Game is similar to the book Unstoppable by Tim Green. Instead of losing a parent the kid loses his leg from cancer but both kids were great at football. So if you into a football book I would recommend any Tim Green books.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book The Big Game is a realistic fiction story by Tim Green that is not part of a series. The Big Game is about a boy whose dad dies and how he wants to play in the big game so he can play for the high school varsity team as a 8th grader and go to the NFL as a high draft pick. Right before the middle school season starts Danny's dad insists on bringing him on a run, during the run his dad collapses and dies. Then after this Danny has a hard time starting up the season by missing multiple practices. But then he begins practicing and he starts dominating and scores multiple touchdowns in the first game. When school starts he notices that he might fail L.A. and be unable to play in the big game, so as a result of this he has to start tutoring with his teacher. Right after this Danny gets injured in practice and figures out he wont be able to play for some time but will still make the big game. But after a week he begins to notice even if he passes L.A. he might not even plays because of how the other running back is playing. After 6 weeks of tutoring and not being able to play he is finally able to practice but doesn't get reps in either the 1st or 2nd team. The next game the other running back starts to play bad so the coach puts in the second string and then eventually him, and he took this opportunity and earned his job back. The next week he passes his L.A. test and plays in the big game. I would rate this book a 4 out of 5 because at points the book was slow and boring but some other points were very action packed.


If you like sports books or and other books by Tim Green then you will like the book The Big Game by Tim Green.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Because you never know, in football or in life, when your turn is gonna come.”

Danny has his life all mapped out: be a starter on the middle school football team as a 7th grader, get noticed in the championship game by the high school coaches. Get called up to varsity as an 8th grader ... by Senior year have your pick of colleges and then become a first round draft choice. It’s the path his father took (except he was a third round draft choice) and dad ended up scoring two touchdowns in a Super Bowl victory. Simple, right? He just didn’t count on all the obstacles.

First, his father dies of a heart attack when he and Danny are going for a run. With anger boiling under the surface, Danny gets into a fight with another player on the football team. Suddenly, he’s seeing the guidance counselor every morning during first period. To make matters worse, the new English teacher has figured out Danny’s secret: he can’t read. “Reading was a mystery he’d simply given up on.” And she’s perfectly willing to flunk Danny if he doesn’t take extra tutoring sessions with her so that he can legitimately pass her class. And that would throw a giant monkey wrench into his future plans.

Through it all Danny’s friends, Janey and Cupcake, are by Danny’s side trying to help him navigate this difficult time in his life. And even discovers that there’s more to reading than he realized. “Reading isn’t just about reading. It’s about stories of people and the obstacles they overcome.”

[Johnny · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an inspiring story on Danny Owens, a young football star, destined for greatness. His father was a legendary running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers who won the super bowl and now they both live in his hometown, Crooked Creek. His friends Cupcake and Janey have been having fun the whole summer but now its football time. The first day of training between Danny and His father ends tragically when Danny’s Father collapses and dies from a heart attack. Ever since that day, Danny has had a chip on his shoulder not to follow in his dads footsteps, but to make his own. Overcoming obstacles on the way such as Ms Rait, English teacher who wont give him the grad he needs to play in the big game unless certain conditions are met. This book has absolutely changed my perspective on what other people are going through. From the outside Danny looks like a star football player with no worries in the world, but really his mom has an alcohol and smoking problem that's hurting Danny because its hurting her. Also, Danny can barely read. This leads to a lot of problems with his teacher, Ms. Rait, such as, extra work and private lessons with her every night. As you can assume this messes everything up. This book would be a great read for anyone who interested in sports and anybody who is interested in determination. This is because of all the football talked about in the book and also all the obstacles Danny has to over come.

[Carter Connors · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Big Game
By: Tim Green
This is a book about a 7th grade boy named Danny. Danny was a great football player in the Pop Warner leagues, but this is the big leagues, It's middle school. This is Danny’s chance to impress the Jericho high school coaches and land a spot on the Jericho varsity team as an eighth grader and follow the path his father took to the NFL.
My favorite character is Danny because he is the most relatable. I like how he isn’t perfect, like everyone, he has problems. I also like how he has a realization that he needs to fix some of his problems.
I liked how this book has ups and downs and isn’t just one sided. I also like how the book also has the perspective of him when he is playing football, that explains a feeling that you otherwise can only get if you play football. This book is very enjoyable to read because it has multiple big challenges that he is facing with different levels of enthusiasm. One thing that I wish the author would have done differently is add more football moments.
I think anybody aged 10 and up should read this book. I think it will be more relatable if you have played a sport, especially football.
I also know you will love this book if you like excitement. I rate this book a solid 4 stars.

[Molly B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Big Game, by Tim Green, is a sports fiction story is pretty good. The story is about a young kid who loves playing football, but is constantly struggling with the stress of living up to his father’s name, who was a big football star. However, there is another problem. Danny Owens, the main character, can’t read, which puts his football dreams in jeopardy.
Despite not being a huge sports fan, I really enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it, especially to people who like sports (especially football). Though it got a little slow at ends and definitely wasn’t my favorite book from this author, I really had fun reading it. Tim Green is an amazing author and I would recommend that everyone check out his books, especially Unstoppable, because they are all amazing. This book has many good themes, especially the themes where the main character is struggling with finding his own identity away from his father and struggling to educate himself. I thought that Danny was a well-written character because he was someone who had multiple sides and also made both good and bad choices that made him well rounded.

[Trevor]

The book The Big Game by Tim Green is another book in the series of sports books written by this author. This is a book that is very sad and realistic about a boy named Danny, who is a very good football player in middle school, who's father dies. He is determined to not let his father's death get to him and he is going to go out on the field and be the best he can be. He is excited to win the championship game and be able to play on the varsity team. But something happens that will prevent him from doing that. It wasn't something that had to do with something on the football team, but it was something that happened in school. And his secret comes out that he's has been hiding his whole life. Will he get the help he needs to be successful on th field and in the classroom? I give this book a 9 out of 10, because it was very realistic and could affect many other athletes around the world. I would recommend this book if you like Tim Green books and realistic books about sports and real life circumstances that young people face.

[Abbie · Rating 2 out of 5]

So...Tim Green is great, and I can't say enough about what a great leader he is in getting kids to read; however, it's also not a secret that I'm not a sports person. It will be no surprise then that it is difficult for me to enjoy a sports genre book like this. I have tolerated other sportsbooks ok, but I just don't like the main character. Maybe it's because I grew up in Texas, and my entire educational career has been here, so I've met plenty of kids who think football is life and they are God's gift to the world as 7th graders. He does make some emotional progress by the last chapter, but he is still an aggressive, entitled jerk who doesn't even love football when he isn't in the starring role. I give it two stars instead of one because everyone eventually realizes Danny should actually know how to read by the end, and I know literacy is an important message for the author. I also know plenty of kids will enjoy this book, especially those who love football.

Read more at Bookish Adventures.

[Izaiah R · Rating 5 out of 5]

Izaiah Rodriguez
Mr.Hart
2/20/2025
English 3
The Big Game
In the Novel The Big Game by Tim Green, I rate this book a five out of five stars because I can relate to a lot in this book and can feel what the author is saying and what is trying to say. Firstly , when the narrator said “everything was on the line in this final play”[Green 312], the narrator showed the crisis of the novel and showed the tension and urgency of the story where Mark the protagonist must make a decision to win the game or decide to lose the game. This also represents the climax of the story. I like this quote because this is where it shows the character and really puts into perspective how a football game is. Secondly, I like how they used foreshadowing by the narrator saying “he could feel something was about to change, but he didnt know for the better or for the worse”[Green 267]. This line shows that something is about to change which is an example of foreshadowing. Another example of foreshadowing is when the tension builds and the turning point is coming. I like how in this book the narrator explains the character's emotion and doesn't leave the readers lost and shows us how for example foreshadowing is used. In addition, the figurative language used in this story is used greatly, for example when Mark was on the football field and said, “the roar of the crowd felt like a thousand waves crashing against the shore”[Green 98]. The figurative language used here is a great example of a personification and giving people the sound of waves. The author was really creative when doing this and showing his skills. Furthermore, the theme was another great thing that the author showed great and when he said’ “football is a game of survival. The strong survive and the weak get crushed”[Green 155]. This show the theme of the book very well and the theme of the book is the high stakes of football and the toughness, emotion and physicality of the sport. The theme is very true to real life football tema because people's lives revolve around this sport and the book captured that very well. Lastly, the foil used in this story was also very good because when the narrator said, “Mark was always calm, but I was a mess of nerves before every game”[Green 88]. This showed the contrasting personality between the narrator and the main character. When the narrator said that it showed the emotions of both characters and the contrast between them. The novel The Big Game i gave this book a five out five stars because of the reasons stated above.

Exhilaration
Imposing
Vindictive
Precarious
Tenacity

[Gracie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this book is amazing because this book is talking about how Danny come back being the best player. Danny dad's died while they were running to train for football season. Danny was so devasted that he wanted to quite football all together but he knew his dad would not let him do that. Then Danny got hurt during the game but he was fighting to get a starting spot because he wanted to be a star player, and get varsity as a freshman. Danny wanted to be just like his dad. This book talks about a life story with his parents. In this story it is talking about fighting, heartful for your dreams, and to never give up on your dreams even if you are at your lowest. Danny says "football is the only way to get me through life". This book will be great for people who like football, action, love, and devasting moments.

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I always enjoy Tim Green's books, and they are immensely popular with my middle school students. This one wasn't as impactful as some of his previous titles, but it still has a good mix of sports and other issues--in this case grief, family/community pressure, and academic vs. athletic success. There's not much football action, which will be a bummer for some of my sports-loving readers, and there just weren't that many likable characters for me. I loved Mr. Crenshaw and Cupcake, and I might have liked Janey more if she had been better developed.

So overall another good story from a kid-favorite author, but not my favorite.

[Brendan · Rating 4 out of 5]

In The Big Game, written by Tim Green, is a realistic fiction book. Danny Owen’s dad was a star in the NFL and had high expectations for Danny when all of the sudden Danny’s dad is gone. This changes Danny’s life very much. He learns how to adapt to the situation, and becomes the star player on the football team. Danny’s dream is to play in the championship game, and he knows that he has a great start to achieving that dream. He works hard with his English teacher, Ms. Rait. Then, when the team is running sprints, he injures his foot very badly. Will he be able to recover in time for the big game?

[Ruth Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book - the plot is great and keeps readers guessing.
Abrupt ending - way too soon!
Danny lives in a dysfunctional family. His mom drinks and his dad is abusive. The small town Danny lives in LOVES the whole family and presumably doesn’t know about their family life. Dad is a successful businessman and is a former NFL star. He pushes Danny about football, always, more this year as Danny enters 7th grade. He dies while on an early morning training run with Danny.
Danny is under tremendous stress and he has a secret.
I did not like the teacher's voice - Ms. Rait. Her voice didn't come across as authentic, and if my child had a teacher who talked like her there would be a problem. Her actual actions were fine for the most part.

[Michael B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Big Game is about Danny Owens the son of Dan Owens A famous football player, his dad wants him to be better than he ever was. Danny is friends with Janey and cupcake. Danny and Cupcake are part of a really good football team, and are working toward the championship game, or The Big Game. Danny and his Dad were on an early morning run when his dad had a heart attack and died, but thats not the only problem Danny has. Ms. Rait his english teacher figured out on his biggest secret he cant read, the only problem with that is he needs to get a 65 or higher on the exam or he wont wont be able to play in the Championship game will he pass?

[Camden Crofts · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book. It was very interesting with all the plot twists that it had. I also really liked how the backstory other than football went along.

So in the beginning we have this forgetful kid who is late to meet his dad to go buy new football cleats. Then his dad wants him to get in shape for football so they start to go running. Then his teacher figures out something about him that changes the whole story. Then he makes friends with his teacher's cat because of what she figured out he has to go and meet with her. Then he gets injured and it may crush his hopes and dreams.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Tim Green's sports stories because they're about so much more than just football. Danny Owens has been hiding his learning disability from almost everyone and getting away with it because of his talent on the football field. Until one savvy language arts teacher forces him to tackle his reading head-on or fail the class. He also has to get a handle on his anger issues. A lot is going on in the life of this middle-schooler.

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

The audio book is not great. The story was worth listening too. Danny a promising football star on his junior high team especially since his dad won a super bowl ring with the Steelers. When his das suddenly dies due to a heart attack while he and Danny were training. Danny has some struggles in school because of gaps in his reading. Will he make the championship game or will many obstacles prevent him from playing?

[Jake]

I liked the story of this book a lot. I liked danny the most. He was a son of a former NFL player and had a championship game coming up he wasn't to close with his dad. He had good friends to help him get through it. I liked the story of this book a lot people where not to nice to him and it was kind of a sad book during the middle. But this is one of my favorites I have read so far. I think that tim green makes really good books and there intersting.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book because the main character had some very unique challenges to overcome. I also liked this book because the main character was around my age some most of the events that were happening. The only thing I disliked was the author didn't show the background for some of the more popular character.

[Markus Talley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like this book because Danny had to overcome a lot of challenges as an 8th grader on varsity. He is also expected to be like his dad who was a Hall of Fame football player for the Steelers but then he got injured. It is a lot of pressure. Danny gets angry and sad when his dad is brought up he doesn't like it when people compare him to his dad. I recommend this book to anyone who like sports.

[Jaxon · Rating 4 out of 5]

The main character of the book is named Danny. Danny has a strong passion for the game because his dad played he wants to carry the legacy on. The main conflict of the story is how Danny gets hurt and has to earn his spot back. I would only recommend this book to a kid or someone who plays football because it is good but not great.

[Josh · Rating 5 out of 5]

great book. I recommend this book to anyone who likes a good life story with a mix of football. it is a story of a boy who grows up loving football and his father was a NFL star. his father dies and he tries to fight back up to a normal life. there are just the right enough of plot twist.

[Ryan Barry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Great story. First one I have read from Tim Green. Having played sports my whole life I try to stay away from these books. When my son brought this home I decided to read it with him and I could not put it down. I will read more from him in the future.