# Seth Wickersham
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{{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](/source/Denver%2C_Colorado), U.S.
| occupation = Journalist, author
| employer = [ESPN](/source/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](/source/University_of_Missouri) ([BJ](/source/Bachelor_of_Journalism))
}}
'''Seth Wickersham''' (born 1977) is an American sports journalist for [ESPN](/source/ESPN) and ''[ESPN The Magazine](/source/ESPN_The_Magazine)''.[{{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}}][{{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}}][{{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}}][{{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}}]
== Early life and education ==
Wickersham was born in [Denver](/source/Denver), and raised in [Boulder](/source/Boulder%2C_Colorado) and [Anchorage, Alaska](/source/Anchorage%2C_Alaska) and attended [Robert Service High School](/source/Service_High_School).[{{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}}] He graduated from the [University of Missouri](/source/University_of_Missouri) with a [bachelor of journalism](/source/Bachelor_of_Journalism) in 2000.[{{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}}] While an undergraduate, Wickersham covered [Super Bowl XXXIV](/source/Super_Bowl_XXXIV), won by the [St. Louis Rams](/source/St._Louis_Rams), with [Wright Thompson](/source/Wright_Thompson) for the ''[Columbia Missourian](/source/Columbia_Missourian).[{{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}}][{{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}}][{{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}}][{{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}}][{{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}}] Over the course of his career, Wickersham has also profiled prominent NFL personalities including [Tom Brady](/source/Tom_Brady), [Peyton Manning](/source/Peyton_Manning), [Bill Belichick](/source/Bill_Belichick), and [Y.A. Tittle](/source/Y._A._Tittle).[{{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}}][{{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}}][{{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}}][{{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}}]
An October 2022 story by Wickersham, Tisha Thompson, and Don Van Natta Jr. is credited for contributing to forcing former [Washington Commanders](/source/Washington_Commanders) owner [Dan Snyder](/source/Daniel_Snyder) to sell the franchise.[{{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}}][{{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}}] In December 2022, Wickersham detailed [Andrew Luck’s](/source/Andrew_Luck) shock 2019 decision to retire from the NFL, the first time Luck had spoken about it.[{{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}}]
In 2018, Wickersham was a finalist for the National Magazine Award for Reporting.[{{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 }}] His stories have been anthologized in the ''Best American Magazine Writing'',[{{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}}] the ''Best American Sports Writing'',[{{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}}] ''The Year's Best Sports Writing'' [{{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}}] ''Next Wave: America's New Generation of Great Literary Journalists''[{{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 }}]'','' and in ''Words Matter: Writing to Make a Difference''.[{{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 }}] He has won awards from the National Association of Black Journalists and the Pro Football Writers Association.[{{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}}][{{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}}] In 2023, Wickersham and Van Natta were named The Big Lead's Sportswriter of the Year.[{{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}}][{{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}}]
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](/source/The_New_York_Times_Best_Seller_list) and was named Nonfiction Book of the Year by ''[Sports Illustrated](/source/Sports_Illustrated)'' and the [National Sports Media Association](/source/National_Sports_Media_Association).[{{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}}][{{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}}]
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.[{{Cite book |title=American Kings: A Biography of the Quarterback | isbn=1368099181 }}]
== Personal life ==
Wickersham and his wife have two children. They live in [Connecticut](/source/Connecticut).[{{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}}] Swardson reportedly helped Wickersham prepare for a brief role in the 2014 film ''[Draft Day](/source/Draft_Day),'' though Wickersham's scene was eventually cut.