NFL media members are having a bit of an identity crisis. As their notability rises, the need for their actual job is declining.
The role of an NFL team reporter or media member is an important one, since they are the glorified fan who gets to speak on behalf of the fans to the team, and they report on information back to the fanbase. They’re the middleman. But with the rise of social media, the role of this job has changed in several areas.
The need for the NFL media member has shrunk in some cases, as the team can easily put information out themselves, like injury reports, and fans can skip the middleman and read it themselves. Fans can even interact with players on social media at times, getting their questions and thoughts out there without needing the media to voice this for them. But on the other side, media members are often treated as celebrities, gaining followers (both loyal and haters) that hang on their every word.
The role of this glorified fan, while more insignificant but also notable, is creating very strange dynamics in the NFL.
Strange Interaction Between Liam Coen and Jaguars Media
The Jacksonville Jaguars hosted the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, ultimately losing in a heartbreaking and disappointing fashion. Despite the team overachieving this season, winning the division and getting Trevor Lawrence to play good football, the season’s end is nothing but a disappointment. So, emotions were running high down in Duval, and rightfully so. If you host a playoff game, and your team is mostly healthy, you should win that football game.
That didn’t happen. They lost to a team worse than them, but no worries, says the Jacksonville Jaguars reporter:
The reporter appears to be genuine, and her words are coming from a good place. That’s great and beautiful, but is this the time and place?
Liam Coen has given off the vibes of a spoiled rich kid playing the role of the head coach this season. A reporter needing to console him and make sure he “keeps his head up” feels like consoling a kid who was taught a lesson for kicking a beehive, or blaming the dog for barking at the kid who poked it in the eye. There is something inauthentic and very irritating about him. And playing the “tough guy” act at several points in the season after “snaking” his old team makes me give him zero sympathy anyway, but that’s not the point here.
Is it the reporter’s job to console the coach? Your job is to ask questions the fanbase has, then tell us what they said. And really, we can watch and hear that part, so wait your turn, ask the damn question, then pat yourself on the back. And for the love of God, please don’t give us your football analysis that I am sure you really perfected during your journalism courses at Syracuse. You’re not an expert at anything other than relaying a message.
For as strange as this interaction was, this was not the only time this happened this season.
Strange Browns Reports With Kevin Stefanski
Earlier this season, a Cleveland Browns reporter took the time to let Kevin Stefanski and us know how “he feels.” He said it was unfair how Stefanski has been treated by having to coach an inferior team, and he hopes it isn’t the last time he sees the coach (as if he’s getting taken out to pasture following this presser).
I’m happy this reporter felt that anyone would care about how he felt at that moment and that sharing this information was a good idea. However, shut the hell up. Yes, the Cleveland Browns were a bad team. It’s great that you crunched the numbers and felt you needed to share something everyone knows. Also, telling the offensive coach it’s not his fault that the offense is bad, and that you want to go down on your knees for him is, well… a bit out of your job description.
What Are NFL Media Reporters Doing?
You see, NFL media members are having a bit of an identity crisis. As their notability rises, the need for their actual job (reporting the news everyone has access to) is declining. Since their notability is rising, they feel more important. They feel like they are part of the team itself. Wrong. If NFL running backs are replaceable, NFL reports can be replaced without notice. Tell fans the information they should know, then ask questions on behalf of the fanbase in order to get more useful information.
Additionally, NFL reporters are not experts on football. They got a degree in organizing information, and now that they get to talk to football players, they believe their opinion is not only notable to their loyal fans, but it is also useful for the team itself (since they are part of it). Again, please shut your mouth, stay in your lane, and quit trying to be an analyst, therapist, or anything other than a reporter.
Analysts have experience with the sport and can give an educated critique. Therapists studied the human mind and have experience with others in order to help sort through your thoughts. Reporters have experience relaying information. I know, it sounds boring and unimportant. Run a slant over the middle with James Harrison lurking, then maybe I’ll listen to your well-thought-out thought that the Browns are bad.
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