{{Short description|American sports journalist (born 1977)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2024}} {{Infobox journalist | name = Seth Wickersham | image = File:Wickersham 2.jpg | caption = Seth Wickersham | birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1977}} | birth_place = Denver, Colorado, U.S. | occupation = Journalist, author | employer = ESPN | years_active = 2000–present | notable_works = ''It's Better to Be Feared: The New England Patriots Dynasty and the Pursuit of Greatness'' ''American Kings: A Biography of the Quarterback'' Andrew Luck Finally Reveals Why He Walked Away from the NFL | spouse = | children = 2 | alma_mater = University of Missouri (BJ) }}
'''Seth Wickersham''' (born 1977) is an American sports journalist for ESPN and ''ESPN The Magazine''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Axelrod |first=Ben |date=January 24, 2019 |title=New report details Cleveland Browns' dysfunction under Jimmy Haslam |url=https://www.wkyc.com/article/sports/nfl/browns/new-report-details-cleveland-browns-dysfunction-under-jimmy-haslam/95-51f0c1c3-0281-4f15-b188-d55501da6e6e |access-date=January 28, 2019 |website=WKYC}}</ref><ref name=Yang>{{cite news|last1=Yang|first1=Angela|title=ESPN Signs Seth Wickersham to New Extension, Adds Joel Anderson and Phil Steele to Multiplatform Editorial Team|url=http://espnmediazone.com/us/press-releases/2017/08/espn-signs-seth-wickersham-to-new-extension-adds-joel-anderson-and-phil-steele-to-multiplatform-editorial-team/|accessdate=November 18, 2017|publisher=ESPN|date=August 4, 2017}}</ref><ref name=Thompson>{{cite book|last1=Thompson|first1=Wright|last2=Stout|first2=Glenn|title=The Best American Sports Writing 2015|date=2015|publisher=Houghton Mifflin Harcourt|isbn=978-0544462670|page=365|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jP3HBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA365|accessdate=November 18, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=DeCosta-Klipa|first1=Nik|title=Author of ESPN story on Tom Brady responds to Bill Belichick's 'fake news' criticism|url=https://www.boston.com/sports/new-england-patriots/2017/11/07/author-of-espn-story-on-tom-brady-responds-to-bill-belichicks-fake-news-criticism/|access-date=November 18, 2017|publisher=Boston.com|date=November 7, 2017}}</ref>
== Early life and education == Wickersham was born in Denver, and raised in Boulder and Anchorage, Alaska and attended Robert Service High School.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Seth Wickersham |url=https://espnpressroom.com/us/bios/seth-wickersham/ |access-date=2025-12-11 |website=ESPN Press Room U.S. |language=en-US}}</ref> He graduated from the University of Missouri with a bachelor of journalism in 2000.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025 |title=#MizzouMade Sportswriters at ESPN |url=https://www.mizzou.com/s/1002/alumni/19/interior.aspx?sid=1002&gid=1001&pgid=13110&cid=28184&ecid=28184&crid=0&calpgid=11184&calcid=24018 |access-date=2025-12-11 |website=www.mizzou.com |language=en}}</ref> While an undergraduate, Wickersham covered Super Bowl XXXIV, won by the St. Louis Rams, with Wright Thompson for the ''Columbia Missourian.<ref name=":0" />''
== Career == After graduating from the University of Missouri, Wickersham joined ESPN, writing for ESPN.com and ''ESPN The Magazine''. His work primarily covers the National Football League and has been featured on ''Outside the Lines'', ''SportsCenter'', and ''E:60''.<ref name="Yang" />
Wickersham's stories have gained fame for their deep coverage of previously unreported news. Along with Don Van Natta, Wickersham has written critically acclaimed investigations on the NFL's handling of the Spygate and Deflategate cheating controversies, the Rams and Raiders franchise relocations, and the behind-closed-doors meetings on the inequality protests.<ref>{{Cite web |date=September 8, 2015 |title=Spygate to Deflategate: Inside what split the NFL and Patriots apart |url=http://www.espn.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/13533995 |access-date=February 6, 2019 |website=ESPN.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Inside the NFL's wild return to LA |url=http://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/14752649/the-real-story-nfl-owners-battle-bring-football-back-los-angeles |access-date=February 6, 2019 |website=ESPN.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Sin City or Bust: How the Raiders went Vegas, baby |url=http://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/19143486/the-story-how-owner-mark-davis-moved-raiders-las-vegas |access-date=February 6, 2019 |website=ESPN.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=October 27, 2017 |title=How the NFL, players forged anthem detente amid gaffes, TV ratings concerns |url=http://www.espn.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/21170410 |access-date=February 6, 2019 |website=ESPN.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=November 17, 2017 |title=OTL: NFL teeters on all-out, unprecedented civil war |url=http://www.espn.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/21441056 |access-date=February 6, 2019 |website=ESPN.com}}</ref> Over the course of his career, Wickersham has also profiled prominent NFL personalities including Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Bill Belichick, and Y.A. Tittle.<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 15, 2013 |title=The Mag: Tom Brady's charmed life |url=http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/9227157 |access-date=February 6, 2019 |website=ESPN.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=November 26, 2013 |title=NFL: The truth about Peyton |url=http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/10036329 |access-date=February 6, 2019 |website=ESPN.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=July 10, 2012 |title=IT TAKES A GENIUS |url=http://www.espn.com/espn/magazine/archives/news/story?page=magazine-20090907-article33 |access-date=February 6, 2019 |website=ESPN.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Wickersham: Y.A. Tittle's final trip home |url=http://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/11214487/hall-fame-quarterback-ya-tittle-takes-final-trip-home-espn-magazine |access-date=February 6, 2019 |website=ESPN.com}}</ref>
An October 2022 story by Wickersham, Tisha Thompson, and Don Van Natta Jr. is credited for contributing to forcing former Washington Commanders owner Dan Snyder to sell the franchise.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-10-13 |title=Sources: Snyder claims 'dirt' on NFL owners, Goodell |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/34778123/washington-commanders-owner-dan-snyder-claims-dirt-nfl-owners-roger-goodell |access-date=2025-01-17 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-07-12 |title=How Gruden email leaks led to Snyder's demise |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/37965420/the-secret-history-dan-snyder-demise-washington-commanders-owner |access-date=2025-12-11 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref> In December 2022, Wickersham detailed Andrew Luck’s shock 2019 decision to retire from the NFL, the first time Luck had spoken about it.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-12-06 |title=Andrew Luck finally reveals why he walked away from the NFL |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/insider/story/_/id/35163936/andrew-luck-reveals-why-walked-away-nfl |access-date=2025-12-11 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref>
In 2018, Wickersham was a finalist for the National Magazine Award for Reporting.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://asme.magazine.org/asme/national-magazine-awards/winners-finalists |title=Winners and Finalists Database |website=ASME |access-date=February 6, 2019 |archive-date=April 4, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190404102406/https://asme.magazine.org/asme/national-magazine-awards/winners-finalists |url-status=dead }}</ref> His stories have been anthologized in the ''Best American Magazine Writing'',<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://cup.columbia.edu/book/the-best-american-magazine-writing-2018/9780231189996 |title=The Best American Magazine Writing 2018 |date=December 2018 |publisher=Columbia University Press |isbn=9780231548656 |editor-first=Sid |editor-last=Holt}}</ref> the ''Best American Sports Writing'',<ref>{{Cite book |title=The best American sports writing |year=2016|editor-last=Telander |editor-first=Rick |isbn=978-0-544-61731-5|location=Boston|oclc=959716877}}</ref> ''The Year's Best Sports Writing'' <ref>{{Cite web |title=The Year's Best Sports Writing 2024 |url=https://www.triumphbooks.com/the-year-s-best-sports-writing-2024-products-9781637276525.php |access-date=2025-01-17 |website=www.triumphbooks.com}}</ref> ''Next Wave: America's New Generation of Great Literary Journalists''<ref>{{Cite book|title=Next Wave: America's New Generation of Great Literary Journalists: Mike Sager, Walt Harrington: 9781481160896: Amazon.com: Books|isbn = 978-1481160896|last1 = Harrington|first1 = Walt|last2 = Sager|first2 = Mike|year = 2012| publisher=Sager }}</ref>'','' and in ''Words Matter: Writing to Make a Difference''.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Words Matter: Writing to Make a Difference: Mary Kay Blakely, Amanda Dahling: 9780826220899: Amazon.com: Books|isbn = 978-0826220899 | last1=Dahling | first1=Amanda | last2=Blakely | first2=Mary Kay | author2-link=Mary Kay Blakely|date=April 26, 2016 |publisher = University of Missouri Press }}</ref> He has won awards from the National Association of Black Journalists and the Pro Football Writers Association.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2018 Salute to Excellence Winners - National Association of Black Journalists |url=http://www.nabj.org/ |access-date=February 6, 2019 |website=www.nabj.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.profootballwriters.org/2016/10/13/pfwa-announces-2016-dick-connor-writing-awards/|title=PFWA announces 2016 Dick Connor Writing Awards |last=PFWA|date=October 13, 2016|access-date=February 6, 2019}}</ref> In 2023, Wickersham and Van Natta were named The Big Lead's Sportswriter of the Year.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-12-06 |title=2023 Sports Media Awards |url=https://www.thebiglead.com/posts/2023-sports-media-awards-01hdbn05d73h |access-date=2025-01-17 |website=The Big Lead |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |title=The Big Lead |date=2024-09-08 |work=Wikipedia |url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Big_Lead |access-date=2025-01-17 |language=en}}</ref>
Wickersham’s first book, ''It’s Better to Be Feared: The New England Patriots Dynasty and the Pursuit of Greatness,'' was released on October 12, 2021. The book became a ''New York Times'' bestseller and was named Nonfiction Book of the Year by ''Sports Illustrated'' and the National Sports Media Association.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kennedy, Wickersham and Turner Sports Honored at NSMA Legacy Night |url=https://nationalsportsmedia.org/news/kennedy-wickersham-and-turner-sports-honored-at-nsma-legacy-night |access-date=2025-02-11 |website=National Sports Media Association |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Hardcover Nonfiction Books - Best Sellers - Books - Oct. 31, 2021 - The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/books/best-sellers/2021/10/31/hardcover-nonfiction/ |access-date=March 12, 2022 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>
Wickersham's second book, ''American Kings: A Biography of the Quarterback'', was published on September 9, 2025. It also became a ''New York Times'' bestseller.<ref>{{Cite book |title=American Kings: A Biography of the Quarterback | isbn=1368099181 }}</ref>
== Personal life == Wickersham and his wife have two children. They live in Connecticut.<ref name=":0" />
Wickersham's cousin is comedian and actor Nick Swardson.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=2014-04-07 |title=Wickersham: Behind the scene in 'Draft Day' |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/10694878/behind-scene-movie-draft-day |access-date=2025-12-11 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref> Swardson reportedly helped Wickersham prepare for a brief role in the 2014 film ''Draft Day,'' though Wickersham's scene was eventually cut.<ref name=":1" />
== Bibliography ==
* ''It's Better to Be Feared: The New England Patriots Dynasty and the Pursuit of Greatness'' (Liveright, 2021) * ''American Kings: A Biography of the Quarterback'' (Penguin, 2025)
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{twitter|SethWickersham}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Wickersham, Seth}} Category:University of Missouri alumni Category:Writers from Anchorage, Alaska Category:ESPN people Category:Living people Category:Sportswriters from Alaska Category:1977 births Category:Sportswriters from Colorado Category:Writers from Boulder, Colorado