“What’s your next step?” My grandma would always ask me this question whenever we discussed my career. She was a librarian and an avid reader who enjoyed great storytelling. My next step is The Athletic. Chris Sheridan, my mentor, and friend, always said I’d never know when a call would change my life. That call ultimately came from Paul Fichtenbaum of The Athletic.

We spoke for an hour over the phone discussing the industry, reporting, covering a team individually, the league as a whole and more. The Athleticproduces quality journalism from talented writers without annoying pop-ups or advertisements. Click bait and hot takes aren’t on the menu here. There is an emphasis on storytelling, taking time to expand on analysis and in-depth coverage as opposed to cramming a story into a shortened word count or rapid deadline after the buzzer.