In PAYING THE PRICE: A LIFE IN FOOTBALL...AND BEYOND, Earnel Durden traces his life from tumultuous post-war Los Angeles to his time as an assistant coach for the San Diego Chargers and beyond. From his college-career--and the injury that ended it all--to his lifelong association and friendship with coaching legend Tommy Prothro, Durden recounts his unlikely journey through the ranks of professional football.
Durden was witness to more than a half- century of history, both on the field and off. As an African-American man coming of age during the peak of the Civil Rights movement, Earnel struggled at every stage of his career to prove himself, often as the first Black man in any position he occupied. As a player and then a coach, he watched--and often participated--as the game fundamentally changed in the professional sport we know today.
Beset by challenges and rocked with personal tragedies, Earnel Durden's memoir is a tale of perseverance even in the face of incredible difficulties--of truly learning what it means to "pay the price."