Chris Willis has worked at NFL Films as Head of the Research Library since 1996. His first book, Old Leather An Oral History of Early Pro Football in Ohio, 1920-1935, was published in 2005 by Scarecrow Press. Old Leather was given the 2005 Nelson Ross Award by the Professional Football Researchers Association for recent Achievement in Football Research & Historiography. His second book, The Columbus Panhandles, A Complete History of Pro Football's Toughest Team 1900-1922 was published in 2007 by Scarecrow Press.