In 1987, still stinging from their humiliating "Miracle on Ice" loss to the U.S. hockey team, the Soviet Union assigns legendary coach Valery Medved an impossible mission: take the best athletes in the USSR—wrestlers, gymnasts, sprinters, hockey players—and forge them into an American-style football team capable of defeating the Denver Broncos on July 4th at Mile High Stadium.

"People forget how athletic Soviet athletes were," says Gorman, whose screenplay for Offsides landed an L.A. agent in 1987. "They dominated Olympics after Olympics. But could they learn football in time to compete with NFL champions? That question fascinated us then, and it fascinates me now—especially with the geopolitical tensions we're seeing today."

The novel follows Polish quarterback Jozef Czarnetski, half-Sudanese speedster Jammal Kamau, and a roster of Soviet athletes who've never seen an American football game as they race against the clock to master a sport foreign to their culture. Meanwhile, Denver Post sportswriter Mike Larsen—a former Raiders quarterback whose career ended in tragedy—covers what should be the story of a lifetime, only to uncover a deadly conspiracy threatening to turn the game into a trigger for World War III.

Offsides meticulously details how Soviet coaches would adapt their expertise to football's demands: wrestlers teaching offensive line leverage, gymnasts perfecting precise route running, track stars becoming unstoppable receivers. It's "Miracle on Ice" in reverse—with far higher stakes than a gold medal.

"Football is America's game, our modern gladiatorial combat," Gorman explains. "What better way to explore Cold War tensions than on the fifty-yard line? The Soviets wanted to prove their system could beat ours at anything. This game becomes their chance—and a handful of people's nightmare."

The timing couldn't be more perfect. As the NFL enters its most exciting stretch—wild card weekend, divisional playoffs, conference championships, and Super Bowl LX on February 9th—Offsides offers football fans something they've never seen: a meticulously researched alternate history where the gridiron becomes a battlefield and every touchdown could mean peace or war.

Gorman brings credibility beyond his imagination. His award-winning memoirs Into Trouble and Running Down a Dream have earned acclaim for their vivid storytelling, and his documentary Ride the Sky demonstrates his eye for dramatic tension. Now he turns those skills to the ultimate "what if" sports story.

Offsides is available for presale now at $2.99 (Kindle) and $12.99 (paperback), with launch week pricing holding through January 16th. Regular pricing of $4.99 (Kindle) and $14.99 (paperback) begins thereafter, with special Super Bowl week promotions planned.

"This isn't just for thriller readers," Gorman notes. "This is for anyone who's ever wondered: Could the Soviets have really pulled it off? And what would it have meant if they did?"

Offsides by Paul Gorman

Publisher: Rain City Cinema

Contact: raincitycinema@gmail.com

Release Date: January 9, 2026

Presale: Available now on Amazon

Launch Price: $2.99 (Kindle), $12.99 (paperback)

Perfect for fans of: Robert Ludlum, Tom Clancy, The Boys in the Boat