When Tiffany Blackmon embarked on a career in sports broadcasting, hosting a morning show on a sports radio station wasn’t part of the plan. But this past March, the veteran television sports reporter added that line to her resume when she joined Mike Johnson and Beau Morgan to host The Morning Shift on 92.9 FM The Game in Atlanta.
And things couldn’t be better.
“It’s just been a blast and we were pretty comfortable together right from the jump,” said Blackmon. “I think we had a little learning curve when we first started but ultimately the chemistry is what’s been there. We’re all friends now. It’s kind of like a family and it’s just been so much fun.”
Part of that fun is that a morning show is a lot different that other dayparts at a sports radio station. It’s not always just about sports as a morning show also has a mix of pop culture and a look inside the lives of the hosts and others who work on the show. That component has come easy for Blackmon, especially during her own segment called “TB’s Timeout”.
The show can be an open book for the hosts when it comes to themselves or whatever else is going on in the world.
“I’m up to date on what’s going on, so it really feels like you’re just talking with friends about the news of the day,” said Blackmon. “The majority of the show is sports because we’re a sports show but I think it’s been great to pull in a different audience when we get to talk about crazy things that happen in our owns lives or stuff that’s even happening maybe in a case with a celebrity or something like that. I think we’ve done a good job of twining both worlds.”
Blackmon, who played soccer at North Gwinnett High school outside of Atlanta and then at Georgia State, grew up around sports because her father is former NFL linebacker Donald Blackmon. Her first experience in playing sports was living in New Jersey when her dad was playing for the New York Giants and he asked her if she wanted to give soccer a try. That certainly worked out for her, but Blackmon is also grateful that both her mother and father didn’t push her into anything.
From her sponge-painted bedroom, to the beads hanging from the door to the inflatable furniture that she had in the room, Blackmon was able to write her own story of life.
Blackmon describes herself as “a nerd” when she was a kid. To her, that meant collecting dinosaur books and being able to name every dog breed. She loved animals so much that she wanted to be a veterinarian.
But she also loved sports and that was the career path she ultimately decided to travel.
“This is working out for me and I could not have asked for a better career,” said Blackmon.
That career included a five-season run at NFL Network followed by a short break in the action for her in sports that almost caused her to leave the industry altogether.
It was 2019 and Blackmon was at a crossroads.
“There are times when you face different obstacles, especially just even being a woman in this business,” said Blackmon. “You’re dealt some hands and I got some cards that you heard other people talk about but you never envision that some of these things might catch up to you. I was just like ‘You know what? I’m done.’”
On March 1st, 2020, Blackmon embarked on a new chapter in her life when she moved to Charlotte, North Carolina. A short time later, everyone’s life changed when the COVID-19 pandemic began.
“Everything came to a stop so the timing was terrible,” said Blackmon. “It was a very rough few years but I’m thankful that I had some good people around me.”
Two of those people were Jane Slater of NFL Network and Dianna Russini, then of ESPN and now of The Athletic. They both encouraged her to get back into sports because that’s where she belonged.
“I had both of those people just telling me ‘You’re talking crazy,’” said Blackmon. “I’m thankful for the people around me and to myself for ultimately not giving up on it and making a phone call one day and that changed everything.”
That call was to ESPN and, to steal a line from a popular television show, just like that Blackmon was back in business as a college football sideline reporter. In her first year at ESPN, she was roaming the sidelines at the Rose Bowl and then in season two, she worked the Fiesta Bowl
And now, she’s about to embark on a new gig with CBS Sports as a sideline reporter for both college football and the NFL.
“This is incredible,” said Blackmon. “When this opportunity came to me, it was an easy yes. I missed being in the league and getting to cover games and now this will be another challenge in my career, not just doing sidelines but I’m doing NFL sidelines for the first time. It’s going to be so much fun.”
Blackmon’s fun at CBS will kickoff on Sunday September 3rd when she covers Northwestern’s visit to Rutgers. Her week one NFL assignment is the Las Vegas Raiders at the Denver Broncos on September 10th and then for week two she’ll be in Nashville for Chargers vs.Titans.
Life is good these days for Tiffany Blackmon with the radio show and her new gig at CBS.
Now the question for her is what lies ahead?
“I am someone that just goes with the flow and takes it day by day,” said Blackmon. “I’m really just taking it all in stride and enjoying the moment. If anything else comes my way, great I’m open to it.”
It’s been a pretty good career so far for the self-professed “nerd” who wanted to be a veterinarian!
Peter Schwartz writes weekly sports radio features for Barrett Media. He has been involved in New York sports media for over three decades, and has worked for notable brands such as WFAN, CBS Sports Radio, WCBS 880, ESPN New York, and FOX News Radio. Peter has also served as play by play announcer for the New Yok Riptide, New York Dragons, New York Hitmen, Varsity Media and the Long Island Sports Network. You can find him on Twitter @SchwartzSports or email him at DragonsRadio@aol.com.
