ESPN’s NFL insider Adam Schefter is swapping football helmets for golf visors in an apparent attempt to escape his reporting cage – and we’re left wondering if the sports giant is running out of actual golf experts.
At a Glance
- Adam Schefter will serve as a sideline reporter for ESPN+ during the Travelers Championship golf tournament, starting Thursday
- The veteran NFL insider has covered football since 1990 and has been with ESPN since 2009
- Schefter described this opportunity as being “let out of the cage” from his normal NFL reporting duties
- ESPN is providing him with a PGA Tour Live shirt, but he’ll supply his own pants and shoes
- This appears to be a one-time assignment as Schefter seeks more “stimulating work” beyond football
From Touchdowns to Tee Boxes
In what can only be described as ESPN’s latest head-scratching personnel decision, the network is sending their premier NFL insider Adam Schefter to cover golf at the Travelers Championship. That’s right, folks – the man who breaks news about quarterback contracts and draft picks will now be asking golfers how they feel about their backswing. Schefter will be roaming the fairways at TPC River Highlands in Connecticut starting Thursday, presumably looking just as confused as the viewers who tune in expecting actual golf expertise.
Schefter, who has been with ESPN since 2009 and covered the NFL since 1990, is apparently thrilled about this temporary escape from the football world. The man dubbed “The Most Prolific NFL Insider Ever” by media reporter Andrew Marchand will trade breaking news about million-dollar contracts for reporting on… what exactly? Whether a golfer prefers a 7-iron or 8-iron for approaching the green? This is either a brilliant cross-promotion or evidence that ESPN’s sports coverage strategy is more confused than a quarterback facing Bill Belichick’s defense.
Escaping the ESPN “Cage”
In comments that speak volumes about the current state of sports media, Schefter revealed he views this assignment as a prison break from his normal duties. “It’s refreshing. I love stepping out of this zone, on the rare occasion that I can. I like being let out of the cage. And ESPN doesn’t let me out of the cage very often,” Schefter told reporters. Let that sink in – the network’s premier NFL insider describes his highly-coveted position as being trapped in a “cage.” Does this sound like a man who’s fully satisfied with his primary role?
“I am currently awaiting my assignment to see what featured group I’m going to be paired with on Thursday morning at the Travelers,” said Adam Schefter.
And in case you’re wondering about the pressing matter of Schefter’s on-course attire, he’s got that covered too. “I kind of have been assigned, I guess it’s sort of like governmental TV. I’ve been assigned a PGA Tour Live shirt that they got for me. And I guess the pants and the shoes are my own,” Schefter explained. So don’t worry, America, Adam’s pants situation has been resolved. Meanwhile, the economy is tanking, inflation is soaring, and our border is wide open – but thank heavens we know what shirt Schefter will be wearing on the golf course.
A Man Searching for Meaning
This isn’t Schefter’s first venture outside his football comfort zone. He previously tried NBA sideline reporting during a Cleveland Cavaliers game, leading to a memorable encounter with LeBron James. “I was doing a Cleveland Cavaliers game on a Friday night in late March, and I’m in the hall, and LeBron walks past, and he goes, ‘What are you doing here, did you get lost?'” Schefter recalled. Even NBA superstars are confused by Schefter’s wandering career path – and frankly, so are we.
“It’s refreshing. I love stepping out of this zone, on the rare occasion that I can. I like being let out of the cage. And ESPN doesn’t let me out of the cage very often,” said Adam Schefter.
Reading between the lines, it seems Schefter is desperately seeking more “stimulating work” beyond football news. He wants to “interact with people outside your normal world” and find fulfillment beyond breaking news about Tom Brady’s breakfast preferences. While I appreciate a man trying to expand his horizons, isn’t this what hobbies are for? Must we subject golf viewers to a football reporter’s midlife crisis? Meanwhile, countless qualified golf journalists who’ve spent their careers studying the sport remain on the sidelines while Schefter gets the gig because… he’s Adam Schefter.
