The book is an expanded version of Plimpton's two-part series which appeared in back-to-back issues of Sports Illustrated in September 1964.

Despite his struggles Plimpton convinced head coach George Wilson to let him take the first five snaps of the annual intra-squad scrimmage conducted in Pontiac, Michigan.

"[6] Saturday Review called Paper Lion "the best book written about pro football—-maybe about any sport—because Plimpton captures with absolute fidelity how the average fan might feel given the opportunity to try out for a professional football team.

The Great Quarterback Sneak, an hour-long Wolper Productions television special which aired on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) on November 26, 1971.

[9][10] This time around, he worked out with the defending Super Bowl V champion Baltimore Colts in preparation for a preseason game against the Lions in the first-ever professional gridiron contest played at Michigan Stadium on August 22, three months prior to the program's airing.

[13] In the Colts' 23–20 loss to the Lions before a crowd of 91,745, Plimpton was the quarterback for four unofficial plays at the end of the first half which were for the filming of the television special.

[14] Wearing uniform number 1, he handed the ball off twice, had a short pass batted down and gained two yards on a quarterback draw before being hit in the ribs by Jim Mitchell and helped to his feet by Karras who had tackled him.

[12] Bill Curry wrote in a September 25, 2003 ESPN.com column that Plimpton won the respect of the Colts players beginning on the first day of training camp by requesting to participate in the nutcracker drill and continuing to take snaps under center despite having dislocated his right thumb.