Jerry Brewer
@jerrybrewer.bsky.social
Senior columnist for The Athletic. 2025 Pulitzer Prize finalist for commentary. Bluegrass native. Kentucky Journalism Hall of Famer. In an alternate universe, I’m a 1990s R&B icon.
Column: Why the Protect College Sports Act -- ambitious, imperfect and absolutely necessary for an out-of-control landscape -- deserves to pass (free to read): www.nytimes.com/athletic/749...
Why the Protect College Sports Act deserves to pass, flaws and all (Gift Article)
Fan fatigue makes strongest case for the Senate bill, which standardizes what has been improvised and relitigated for five exhausting years.
nytimes.com
The moral of this World Cup: Our problems are enormous, but we can strive to be bigger. A final column on the tournament (with a gift link to read for free): www.nytimes.com/athletic/745...
The moral of this World Cup: Our problems are enormous, but so are we (Gift Article)
For all that went wrong, for all that went unresolved, the event never ceased being what it promised to be. All credit belongs to the games.
nytimes.com
My column on Kylian Mbappe and the fine line between exceptional and immortal (gift link to read for free): www.nytimes.com/athletic/744...
Kylian Mbappe and the fine line between exceptional and immortal
nytimes.com
On Argentina's rocky World Cup road, Lionel Messi is unmoved. A piece about the greatness -- and stillness -- of a superstar lingering in the moment (read for free): www.nytimes.com/athletic/744...
Still Messi: Legend does less, but means more to Argentina's survival
nytimes.com
A day of sport, spectacle and sweat in Philadelphia: The World Cup, America 250 and a petty Mother Nature that wouldn't let it all be great. Read for free here: www.nytimes.com/athletic/742...
Mother Nature, FIFA and France emerge undefeated on miserable, fantastic, volatile day
nytimes.com
Column: As the country celebrates Year 250, here's an essay about the World Cup reminding us of our capacity for generosity and the need for a shared identity that acknowledges our complications but celebrates pluralism. Read for free here: www.nytimes.com/athletic/741...
The World Cup gives America a unified look. The rest is complicated (Gift Article)
Sports fandom would make an ideal mentor for patriotism. The essential characteristics: commitment, unity, aspiration, hope, accountability.
nytimes.com
Column on Seattle's World Cup Pride Match: An exhausting, necessary, beautiful mess (read for free) www.nytimes.com/athletic/740...
The World Cup Pride Match was an exhausting, necessary, beautiful mess
nytimes.com
World Cup column: On Seattle, shining. And the U.S., rolling Gift link to read for free: www.nytimes.com/athletic/737...
Soccer beacon Seattle shines on the World Cup stage (Gift Article)
The United States' good vibes continued with a 2-0 win over Australia at rollicking Seattle Stadium, as a three-decade dream was realized.
nytimes.com
Column: On a World Cup opener for the U.S. that hit all the right notes (read for free) www.nytimes.com/athletic/735...
USMNT's dreamy World Cup debut is something to celebrate and believe in
nytimes.com
Column: On America, and one awkward time to play World Cup host www.nytimes.com/athletic/734...
Welcome to America, the problematic host of the World Cup
nytimes.com
Over the next 39 days, I'm locked in on the World Cup, focusing primarily on what this event means for America and the entire world during fraught time across the globe. A free link to my first essay in @theathletic.com: www.nytimes.com/athletic/733...
Who, exactly, is this World Cup for?
nytimes.com
Mike Repole is a lot of things, all in the same day: billionaire entrepreneur, sports investor, St. John's super donor, philanthropist, visionary, agitator. Enjoyed writing this piece on the co-owner of Kentucky Derby favorite Renegade. Gift link here: www.nytimes.com/athletic/723...
In his relentless pursuit, Mike Repole chases more than the Kentucky Derby
nytimes.com
Meet Lawrence Bennett, a former chauffeur at Augusta National, unofficial historian and protector of what's most sacred about the place. The real story of Augusta isn't green jackets. It lives in the people time quietly leaves behind. Gift link here: www.nytimes.com/athletic/717...
The man who saw everything: Lawrence Bennett’s long drive through Augusta’s history
nytimes.com
UConn coach Geno Auriemma and South Carolina counterpart Dawn Staley engaged in a heated argument in the women’s Final Four on Friday. The confrontation wasn’t about a handshake, @jerrybrewer.bsky.social writes. It was about a shift in control.
Pause a moment with me, in memoriam, with the great @jerrybrewer.bsky.social words as a guide: www.nytimes.com/athletic/709...
Let’s pause to remember Rondale Moore, another life gone too soon
Strong bodies. Fragile lives. It has been a devastating year for the NFL and college football, with nearly a dozen high-profile deaths.
nytimes.com
This Sunday, the NFL will make its strongest case yet that the future doesn’t require choosing between America and the world. The NFL didn't choose Bad Bunny to make a political statement. It did it to help its global ambitions. ✍️ @jerrybrewer.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/athletic/702...
The Seattle Seahawks have transformed into the most complete team in the NFL, and they needed only one quarter Saturday to show that. It wasn’t just about beating the 49ers. They’re on a mission to reach their peak. ✍️ @jerrybrewer.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/athletic/698...
With nothing left to prove, Tomlin can lift his head, step away, and finally take in the impact he had. @jerrybrewer.bsky.social on Tomlin's place in history ⤵️ www.nytimes.com/athletic/696...
Why Mike Tomlin belongs among the giants in NFL history
Consider everything Tomlin represents, and his longevity-kissed Steelers tenure occupies a place among the NFL's most remarkable tales.
nytimes.com
Mike Tomlin, colorful and coy, once said: "I can't give you all the ingredients to the hot dog. You might not like it." For 19 years, he was rigidly competitive, the master of finding a way. Now we can appreciate all his coaching ingredients. My column: www.nytimes.com/athletic/696...
I'll file this date in my personal memory bank: Jan. 7, 2026. After some time away to reflect and form a new gameplan, my @theathletic.com journey has officially begun. My debut is on why the sports column matters -- and why I'm still writing one: www.nytimes.com/athletic/694...
Jerry Brewer: Why the sports column still matters — and why I'm still writing one
nytimes.com
The Dodgers became baseball’s first repeat champions in 25 years. It took everything they had. www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2025/...
After a classic World Series Game 7, the Dodgers remain on top
Los Angeles tied the deciding game against the Toronto Blue Jays in the ninth inning and went on to win in the 11th, becoming baseball’s first repeat champion since 2000.
washingtonpost.com
Column on today's NBA bombshell ... Every betting scandal is a chip off sports' most valuable asset: Integrity www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2025/...
Column | Sports leagues went all-in on gambling. Were they cashing in or out?
Every betting scandal chips away at the most precious asset our games have: Integrity. And once it’s gone, it’s gone.
washingtonpost.com
The honeymoon period is over for this new #Commanders regime, writes @jerrybrewer.bsky.social. "If the Commanders have been eating chocolate-covered strawberries and sipping champagne, well, now it’s time to banish someone to sleep on the couch." www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2025/...
Column | Washington discovered a brave new football era. Sunday was a relapse.
The Commanders have too much character to crater, but what happened at Dallas on Sunday sure looked like rock bottom.
washingtonpost.com
Really enjoyed writing this one. On Cal Raleigh, his bootylicious nickname and 90s Seattle nostalgia giving way to a new era. And it's through the prism of one man who can speak to all of this: Sir Mix-a-Lot. www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2025/...
Column | Big Dumper, Sir Mix-a-Lot and how Seattle got back
With Seattle’s latest booty shaker powered by Big Dumper, the Mariners aren’t stuck in the past.
washingtonpost.com
Seattle's vibes are gone as the Mariners (and Humpy) lose at home again. Column from @jerrybrewer.bsky.social
Column | The Mariners were on their way to the World Series. Then they came home.
There’s no home-field advantage so far in the ALCS as the Blue Jays win Game 4 in Seattle to even the series.
washingtonpost.com
To avoid a 3-0 ALCS deficit, Toronto went into survival mode last night, needing to show urgency yet remain composed. It was the perfect time for Shane Bieber to show he's still Shane Bieber. On his reclamation and the thundering bats that complemented him: www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2025/...
Column | Shane Bieber reclaims the Blue Jays’ hopes — and himself
In April 2024, the right-hander left the mound in Seattle knowing “something was wrong with my elbow.” He returned in Game 3 and tightened the ALCS.
washingtonpost.com
The Mariners advanced to the ALCS. Fittingly, it took 15 innings. Our @jerrybrewer.bsky.social with the scene in Seattle:
Column | Sleepless in Seattle: Mariners win 15-inning epic the only way they know
Far from flawless, the Mariners are still in the MLB playoffs because they just refuse to stop.
washingtonpost.com
Finally, against a quality opponent on the road, these Commanders looked like a team with a playoff pedigree. Column by @jerrybrewer.bsky.social:
Column | This isn’t 2024, but the 2025 Commanders are proving resilient, too
After a somewhat ugly start — to both the game and the season — Washington shows it can still be a force by beating the Chargers on the road.
washingtonpost.com
Good piece from Tashan.
Tashan Reed@tashanreed.bsky.social · 11mo agoWhile Dan Snyder's departure has led to the #Commanders' most optimistic stretch in decades, Jon Gruden's has left the #Raiders on a years-long search for answers. How the fallout of the scandal continues to shape the direction of both franchises 🔗⤵️ www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2025/...
