NFL insider Jordan Schultz is no longer on the air for FOX, according to reporting from Ben Strauss of The Washington Post within a feature story about the sports media professional. Schultz, who has worked for a variety of media companies over the years such as Bleacher Report, NBC Sports and ESPN, is currently in negotiations with several media companies. Yet he is also reportedly thinking about creating something independent that more closely aligns with his model of reporting.
Schultz reported selections at the NFL Draft before they were announced on television, resulting in the National Football League reaching out to FOX executives to mention the policy against tipping picks. When the league released its schedule, he jumped ahead and broke news about a game that was slated to air on FOX before the time at which it was agreed to be revealed. A FOX spokesman told Strauss that Schultz is “no longer on our air” when asked about his status.
Schultz explained that his FOX contract was for a year and that he was planning to leave anyway after signing with the network last year. In addition, he launched a new show alongside Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green titled Why is Draymond Green Talking About Football? and recently broadcast a live edition of the show airing on Instagram Live from Fanatics Fest in New York City.
Earlier in the year amid the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, Ind., tension between Schultz and NFL Network national insider Ian Rapoport resulted in a confrontation at a hotel Starbucks. Schultz’s father, Howard, is the former chairman and chief executive officer of the company and also previously owned the Seattle SuperSonics of the National Basketball Association. Strauss explained that Schultz is seen as controversial among reporters and that he has been accused of leveraging his family wealth and forsaking journalistic ethics. A veteran NFL reporter described Schultz as “Saudi-wealth-funding the insider game.”
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