Don Yaeger

Don Yaeger is an American author and public speaker. He is an NSA-Certified Speaking Professional and eSpeakers-Certified Virtual Speaker. He has authored and co-authored 30 books, including 11 New York Times best-sellers.

Yaeger graduated from Ball State University in 1984. He worked as a reporter for the San Antonio Light from 1984 to 1985, as a reporter and Capitol Bureau Chief for the Dallas Morning News from 1986 to 1990, and as writer and Associate Editor for Sports Illustrated from 1996 to 2008.

Writing
Yaeger co-authored the autobiography of Pro-Football Hall of Fame Chicago Bears running back Walter Payton, Never Die Easy. He has co-authored with other notable sports figures such as former UCLA head basketball coach John Wooden, MLB Chicago Cubs Manager David Ross, former NFL Baltimore Ravens offensive tackle Michael Oher, and Masters Tournament champion Bubba Watson.

Yaeger co-authored, with former Duke University lacrosse head coach Mike Pressler, It's Not About The Truth: The Untold Story of the Duke Lacrosse Case and the Lives it Shattered, which accounts for events during the 2006 Duke lacrosse case.

Yaeger co-authored, with Brian Kilmeade of Fox News, George Washington's Secret Six: The Spy Ring That Saved the American Revolution, Thomas Jefferson and the Tripoli Pirates: The Forgotten War That Changed American History, and Andrew Jackson and the Miracle of New Orleans: The Battle That Shaped America's Destiny.

Publications

 * 1) Under the Tarnished Dome: How Notre Dame Betrayed its Ideals for Football Glory (Simon & Schuster, 1993, with Douglas S Looney, ISBN 0671869507)
 * 2) Never Die Easy: The Autobiography of Walter Payton (Villard, 2000, with Walter Payton, ISBN 0679463313)
 * 3) Ya Gotta Believe: My Roller-Coaster Life As a Screwball Pitcher and Part-Time Father, and My Hope Filled Fight Against Brain Cancer (New American Library, 2004, with Tug McGraw, ISBN 0451212584)
 * 4) It's Not About the Truth: The Untold Story of the Duke Lacrosse Scandal and the Lives it Shattered (2007)
 * 5) I Beat the Odds: From Homelessness, to the Blind Side, and Beyond (Gotham Books, 2011, with Michael Oher, ISBN 1592406122)
 * 6) Play it Like You Mean it: Passion, Laughs, and Leadership in the World's Most Beautiful Game (Don Yaeger with Rex Ryan, 2011, ISBN 9780385534444)
 * 7) Nothing to Lose, Everything to Gain: How I Went From Gang Member to Multimillionaire Entrepreneur (Portfolio/Penguin, 2011, with Ryan Blair, ISBN 9781591844037)
 * 8) George Washington's Secret Six: The Spy Ring That Saved the American Revolution (Sentinel, 2013, Don Yaeger with Brian Kilmeade, ISBN 9781595231031)
 * 9) Thomas Jefferson and the Tripoli Pirates: The Forgotten War That Changed American History (Sentinel, 2015, Don Yaeger with Brian Kilmeade, ISBN 1591848067)
 * 10) Tarnished Heisman: Did Reggie Bush Turn His Final College Season into a Six-Figure Job? (2008)
 * 11) Great Teams: 16 Things High Performing Organizations Do Differently
 * 12) Greatness : The 16 Characteristics of True Champions
 * 13) 1% Better
 * 14) Best Seat in the House: 18 Golden Lessons from a Father to His Son
 * 15) You Are Worth It: Building a Life Worth Fighting For (Don Yaeger with Kyle Carpenter, 2019)
 * 16) Banana Ball with Jesse Cole (Dutton (May 16, 2023, ASIN: B0B9WPBY5K )

Media
Yaeger also hosts the "Corporate Competitor Podcast" which focuses on how successful business leaders learned lessons from sports. Guests have included former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, CEOs of Disney, Delta Airlines, Bank of America, Hendrick Motorsports, KPMG, FanDuel, Chick-fil-A, Insight Enterprises, TopGolf, Mayo Clinic, BET Media and Ritz Carlton.

Personal life
Don Yaeger resides in Tallahassee, Florida with his wife and two children.