Runs in the Family

“The story of Deland McCullough is a break-your-brain/explode-your-heart story. Skillfully woven throughout, Runs in the Family is paradigm-shifting wisdom about mentorship, generational trauma, emotional DNA, and the transformational power of parenthood in all its forms. Like all our stories, Deland’s is one about family secrets, breaking cycles, and how the truth first hurts us and then heals us.” –Glennon Doyle, author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Untamed“Runs in the Family is one of the most remarkable sports stories I’ve ever read. It’s a tale that seems almost too unlikely to be true, but as Sarah Spain and her coauthor Deland McCullough describe in moving detail, the coincidence that drives the central mystery of this gripping narrative is only a small part of what makes this book so unforgettable. It’s about serendipity, to be sure, but it’s also about resilience, identity, and, above all, love.” –Mina Kimes, award-winning ESPN journalist“A beautiful playbook that illustrates the universal truths about grace and mercy.” –Dan Quinn, head coach of the Washington Commanders“Deland McCullough’s journey is a remarkable testament to the unexpected bonds that football can forge. Runs in the Family shows that football can be the catalyst to a miracle, and this book beautifully captures karma and good fortunes.” –Pete Carroll, Las Vegas Raiders head coach, Super Bowl champion, NCAA Football champion“Deland McCullough’s journey is a testament to the transformative power of perseverance and family. In Runs in the Family, he mixes his personal growth with personal failures and poor choices. He persevered and matured to find his identity through it all. This story has football principles dealing with and overcoming the ups and downs of life and finding a way to be successful.” –Andy Reid, three-time Super Bowl champion and head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs“The best sports stories have a beating heart you can feel, and the best sports reporters know just where to put the stethoscope. I didn’t know Deland McCullough had one of those stories, but I do know that I’ll always place my attention wherever Sarah Spain places her caring, craftsmanship, and compassion. In everything from her eye to her empathy, Sarah accompanies Deland with grace toward vulnerable discoveries that can sometimes be too much for even our toughest gladiators and conquerors. There’s real intimacy when a fighter and a writer team up to take us, like all the best stories in the arena do, to the roots of the human condition.” –Dan Le Batard, award-winning sportswriter, television personality, and podcast host

Sarah Spain is an Emmy and Peabody Award-winning sports journalist, the host of the iHeart daily women’s sports podcast Good Game with Sarah Spain and an ESPNW contributor. She has been a jack of all trades in her fourteen years at ESPN, as a radio and podcast host, television personality, producer, and writer. Spain is a graduate of Cornell University, where she competed as a heptathlete and served as cocaptain of the track and field team. She lives in Chicago with her husband, Brad, and their three rescue dogs.

Deland McCullough is a celebrated football figure, excelled as both a player and coach. A four-year starter and the all-time rushing leader at Miami University (Ohio), he was inducted into its Athletics Hall of Fame. After he led the NFL in preseason rushing with the Bengals, knee injuries ended his pro career, which included stints with the Eagles and the CFL’s Blue Bombers, where he was a 1999 All-Star nominee. Transitioning to coaching, McCullough became one of football’s premier RB coaches, helping nearly twenty RBs to 1,000+-yard seasons. A five-time national finalist for top RB coach, he played a key role in the Chiefs’ Super Bowl LIV win. An author and part of the team that created the Emmy Award-winning E:60 feature Identity, McCullough resides in Las Vegas, Nevada, as RB coach for the Raiders.