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,...