Runs in the Family

An Incredible True Story of Football, Fatherhood, and Belonging

Sarah Spain, Deland McCullough

• Publisher: S&S/Simon Element
• Year: 2025
• eBook ISBN:
  9781668036303
• Subtopic: Social Science Biographies

A revelatory examination of the choices we make as parents and children, explored through the true story of an adopted Black man on a journey to find his biological family and discover where and to whom he truly belongs.

Runs in the Family follows the remarkable true story of Deland McCullough, a football coach and father of four whose life was forever changed by the unsealing of his adoption records. His hidden past harbored an astonishing secret.

In 1972, sixteen-year-old Carol Briggs gave birth to Jon Kenneth Briggs during a snowstorm in Pittsburgh and made the difficult decision to put him up for adoption, hoping he would land in a stable, two-parent household. Adopted by a well-known Youngstown, Ohio, radio DJ and his wife, Jon was renamed Deland McCullough. Deland’s childhood was far from idyllic, disrupted by his adoptive parents’ turbulent divorce and his mother’s subsequent abusive relationships.

Amid this uncertainty and instability at home, football became a sanctuary, providing Deland with mentorship and a sense of belonging. He learned to channel his insecurities and feelings of disconnection into an unrelenting drive to prove his doubters wrong and surpass the expectations others had for him.

After making the transition from professional player to respected coach, Deland’s longing to understand his origins intensified, driven by a desire to fill out his family medical history and piece together the fragmented parts of his identity. The search that ensued led to a life-altering discovery, an examination of family in all its forms, and an exploration of all the ways we inherit, learn, and disrupt generational trauma.

Based on Emmy and Peabody Award–winning sports journalist Sarah Spain’s viral ESPN article, Runs in the Family is an emotional examination of the sacrifices, choices, and nurturing that shape us and our loved ones. It offers a heartfelt testament to the profound impact of family and the kind of love and mentorship that can forge enduring bonds that transcend biology.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Dedication
• Epigraph
• Prologue
• Chapter 1
• Chapter 2
• Chapter 3
• Chapter 4
• Chapter 5
• Chapter 6
• Chapter 7
• Chapter 8
• Chapter 9
• Chapter 10
• Chapter 11
• Chapter 12
• Chapter 13
• Chapter 14
• Chapter 15
• Chapter 16
• Chapter 17
• Chapter 18
• Chapter 19
• Chapter 20
• Chapter 21
• Chapter 22
• Chapter 23
• Chapter 24
• Chapter 25
• Epilogue
• Acknowledgments
• About the Authors
• Copyright