PRESNAP Inaugural Issue cover. A screen-printed portrait of Dave Boss holding a camera on a monopod, in an orange shirt and navy vest, against green turf. Cover lines read: Cover Story, An Ode to Dave Boss, Why Are We Doing This?, The Man Who Brought the Turf to Life.
Cover Art by John Lytle

WIP Mission Statement: An Ode to Dave Boss

Inaugural Issue By John Lytle

The NFL is the NFL because of David Boss. He was an artist, designer, and self-taught photographer who was a consultant for the NFL in the early 60s. Before the AFL/NFL merger, he designed the book, The NFL and You, given to college players choosing between the two leagues: this book helped drive the nail in the coffin of the AFL. After this success, Boss was handpicked by Pete Rozelle to become the Creative Director of the NFL and its fourth employee in 1965. Over a 38 year career, he legitimized the league’s image and brought a creative, enterprising spirit that spearheaded the growth of professional football. He modernized the NFL shield logo, commissioned artists every year for the Super Bowl, published the definitive books on the visual history of the game, and launched Pro! magazine. In 1992, he was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and many believe he, more than any other person, is responsible for transforming the face of sports graphics across the United States.

Cover of The NFL Experience by David Boss and Bill McGrane, showing a receiver in a black number 85 jersey reaching up for a football.
The NFL Experience, by David Boss and Bill McGrane

Today, the league is more successful than it has ever been. We are addicts who desperately crave the product that Dave engineered 50+ years ago. But today, the presentation of the league has never been more boring. Everything is clean, manufactured, minimal: the exact opposite of how Dave viewed the game. I want to see the beauty of the game expressed in a way that feels just as unexpected and human as the product on the field. I want to see the stories of today’s NFL told just as well as Dave did in 1965.

Expressive painting of a Green Bay Packers quarterback cradling the ball as a defender wraps him up, in yellows, greens, and blues.

I believe this void is due to the disconnect between the creative community and the sport. Football, despite being one of the most culturally dominant forces in the world, lacks an outlet that puts the game in context with culture. So starting this week, I am starting PRESNAP. This is a weekly magazine that will bring to life the single most important story happening in pro football. One story, one cover, every Wednesday.

Cover of Pro! GameDay, 49ers edition, with an illustration of two San Francisco 49ers players running in front of the city skyline and the bay.
Pro! GameDay, 49ers edition, August 22, 1981

For now, it’s just me. I’m taking this on as a challenge that will force me to make something new every week. If anyone feels inspired to help, we will always take submissions to make cover art, or write a story, and I will more than likely need the help.

I got screwed by the early start to the season last week, but starting next Wednesday, we’re going to get rolling. This first season is really a test: can we actually make a cover every week? If all goes well, next year, hopefully we can build on the momentum. Physical prints, more content, maybe adding people on for a full team.

For now, hope you’ll enjoy the ride, and hopefully we can follow in Dave’s footsteps.