You probably were not familiar with Lynn Jones prior to Sunday. The Jacksonville Free Press reporter though is top of mind now across the entire sports media industry.
Following Sunday’s Jaguars-Bills playoff game, Jones offered compassion, support and positive words of encouragement to Jaguars Head Coach Liam Cohen during his postgame press conference. Her remarks showcased everything that’s right about humanity. I don’t know how anyone could hear what she said and not become a card carrying member of the Lynn Jones fan club.
Once her remarks were made, the video went viral. ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter applauded Jones for her uplifting comments. Many across the sports media industry took exception to Adam’s praise, calling out the Jacksonville reporter’s conduct, some suggesting she acted more like a fan than a reporter.
How Jones spoke to Cohen after a heartbreaking loss was what we hope to see from coaches consoling players. It’s what every parent hopes to convey to their children when they experience life’s ups and downs. We just don’t expect to hear professional coaches receiving uplifting pep talks from media professionals.
And that’s where this issue gets complicated.
Being a great human being is a different discussion than a reporter’s code of conduct inside of a press room. Jones was credentialed to cover the game as a media professional. Her behavior, though well intentioned and classy, was not consistent with traditional journalism rules and expectations. The criticism that followed across social media from media members was not surprising.
Lynn Jones’ career in broadcast journalism runs over three decades long. She is the Associate Editor and Sales Team Manager for the Jacksonville Free Press, and has experience hosting and producing television too. She is also the President of the local Northeast Florida National Association of Black Journalists and has received and been nominated for several professional and community awards for her journalism and advocacy work in Jacksonville. In other words, she is a respected member of her community and knows how the business works.
When I first saw the video, my instant reaction was to take Jones to task. I was raised in the media to follow the unwritten rules such as ‘you don’t root in the press box, you don’t wear a jersey to the game, and you present yourself in a neutral manner when talking to coaches and players’ about the game’. The job is to gather facts and separate emotion from what matters to the public.
But the more I thought about the issue, the more I saw a major hypocrisy across the media business. This is a case of ‘but journalism has always been done this way’. Who says it has to be done that way? Better yet, who is the final decision maker on what is and isn’t acceptable in a press room? Is journalism required to remain married to rules of the past and unable to evolve?
It’s 2026 not 1956, 1966, 1976, 1986, 1996 or 2006. The media world is very different now. I don’t expect many to agree with me but I’m going to showcase how hypocritical some things in our business are.
First, if you host a podcast or radio or TV game/show or write content online or in print, you are a member of the media – period. You are not different than Lynn Jones. You may have a different role, but you represent an outlet, and deliver information and opinions to an audience. If we’re going to follow the old standard that many hold sacred, and you go to a game and enter the locker room, I’m supposed to believe that you are neutral, professional, and emotionally separated from the team, its players, and the final result.
But if I listen to you or read you, is that what I would see or hear? No. I’m going to hear you cheering for wins, showing emotion over losses, interviewing players and coaches, see you wearing team shirts, caps or jerseys, and interacting with fans via calls and texts. If I follow you on social media, I’m going to see your remarks during each game. I may even see photos of you hanging out with people close to the organization, and in some cases, you may bet on the team and post selfie videos going crazy after they win.
Am I supposed to forget all of that and trust you to be neutral, detached, and an unbiased media member simply because you’re inside the press room rather than your studio or sitting on your couch?
Being a passionate fan and supporter of the people inside of a locker room doesn’t make you less credible or incapable of asking tough questions. Ariel Helwani is one of the best interviewers in the industry. Just because he loves the Buffalo Bills and showcases that fandom doesn’t mean he wouldn’t hold a Bills coach or play accountable if they screwed up.
Some of the folks shown below love their local teams too. They have strong connections to their audiences. Fans know how they feel about different players, coaches, and teams because they wear their hearts on their sleeves over wins, losses, and organizational decisions. These folks stand in the same rooms as Lynn Jones. They’re all professionals. The difference, many hold in what they’re thinking and feeling in those rooms to satisfy press room etiquette. Jones decided that she’d rather show support for Liam Cohen than worry about unwritten media room rules and industry perceptions.
Inside most stadiums or arenas you’ll find a play-by-play announcer and analyst for two teams. They spend 3-4 hours relaying what’s happening and unapologetically root for the home team to win. While their passion spills across the airwaves, press members often sit in the next room, reminded to stay quiet and neutral. Many of these announcers work for the franchise, and are beloved because of how invested they are in the team. Yet if they go downstairs to the postgame press conference, they’re considered professional because they did their cheering away from the players and coaches and Lynn Jones is not because she did it to their face during a season ending interaction? Huh?
Some will argue ‘but play-by-play announcers’ aren’t journalists. To that I would answer, ‘neither are talk show hosts, so why are they up in arms over this?’ Furthermore, if that is accurate, why do many hosts act like reporters at press conferences?
On Saturday night, I saw a video of Marc Silverman of ESPN Chicago with WWE superstar Seth Rollins. Both are huge Chicago Bears fans. They shared their excitement over the Bears incredible come from behind victory from inside of a Chicago suite. Marc was fired up and said in the video ‘let’s win it all’ showcasing his Bears fandom. Because it was done in a suite at the stadium and posted on social, that makes it acceptable, but if Marc went downstairs inside the same building to where the coaches and players were, he’s supposed to act like he’s not excited and remain neutral? Do we want media professionals to be real or inauthentic?
I saw a few media folks mention that Jones should have offered her remarks privately to Cohen. That would have created less attention. While that may be true, why is it ok for a reporter to present one’s self in a fan-like manner privately in the press room but not with the camera’s rolling? We either expect reporters to be story focused and disconnected emotionally or we don’t.
Most of the criticism I saw on this issue came from experienced folks. Most were above 45-50 years old. Do you think the next wave of broadcasters who grew up on social media, legal sports betting, and personalities on video/audio expressing their fandom are going to operate the way others in journalism did previously? Like it or not, everything evolves.
In case you didn’t notice, the internet and social media changed everything. Barstool Sports, OutKick, The Ringer, Pat McAfee, etc. made it cool to record videos on an iPhone, be seen in a t-shirt or tank top, share a personal love for certain teams and players, and riff on topics for however long or short as they wanted to. They didn’t worry about operating out of a professional studio, wearing certain clothing, fitting a format or limiting personal fandom. The audience and the industry adapted to them.
Which raises another question, who exactly is the ‘media‘ now inside the press room? These rules were installed and enforced by print journalists when newspapers ran the show. Radio/TV and independent digital outlets have greater influence now. Take for instance tonight’s game in Pittsburgh between the Steelers and the Texans. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette announced it was shutting down last week. Who’s the market’s leading outlet now? That answer can easily be debated, which shows that it’s no longer a case of print calling the shots. Even the White House now invites digital outlets into the press room.
If the New York Knicks won the NBA Championship, do you think Stephen A. Smith wouldn’t be slapping high fives with Jalen Brunson and the rest of the team on the court and in the locker room? Would Mike Greenberg not be shown on camera hugging New York Jets players if they finally won the Super Bowl? Both men are well respected, accomplished professionals who unapologetically share their fandom on television. We accept it because they host shows and are seen as personalities, not reporters, even though both previously did that job.
How about when we see ex-players turned broadcasters on ESPN, FOX Sports, Amazon, NBC and CBS hugging players on the sidelines or buttering them up during pregame or postgame interviews. That’s considered OK and not a journalistic violation because they played the game, have friendships, and are considered analysts and personalities not journalists. Jason Kelce, Pat McAfee, Richard Sherman, Rodney Harrison or Gronk can show love and support and we deem it acceptable but if a sideline reporter or network insider does it that’s considered unacceptable? Don’t many of these folks work for the same outlet and stand on the same field?
I don’t expect many minds to change from this column. If you take an objective look though, you’ll find that some of these issues are silly. They are out of touch with the current media landscape.
Just because a media member displays passion for a team or offers words of encouragement to a coach during an emotional moment, doesn’t make them less credible or incapable of asking tough questions or holding people accountable. Distrust in the media is already at an all-time high. A little bit of kindness goes a long way.
More people today know Lynn Jones as a woman of high character because of how she addressed Liam Cohen. That will earn her greater trust from her readers and a closer relationship with the franchise she covers. The only ones bothered by it are folks holding on to declarations of the past. Maybe it’s time we modified a few of these unwritten rules.
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Jason Barrett is the Founder and CEO of Barrett Media. The company launched in September 2015 and has provided consulting services to America’s top audio and video brands, while simultaneously covering the media industry at BarrettMedia.com, becoming a daily destination for media professionals. Prior to Barrett Media, Jason built and programmed 95.7 The Game in San Francisco, and 101 ESPN in St. Louis. He was also the first sports programmer for SportsTalk 950 in Philadelphia, which later became 97.5 The Fanatic. Barrett also led 590 The Fan KFNS in St. Louis, and ESPN 1340/1390 in Poughkeepsie, NY, and worked on-air and behind the scenes at 101.5 WPDH, WTBQ 1110AM, and WPYX 106.5. He also spent two years at ESPN Radio in Bristol, CT producing ‘The Dan Patrick Show’ and ‘GameNight’. JB can be reached on Twitter @SportsRadioPD or by email at Jason@BarrettMedia.com.
I don’t know why Ariel was used as an example since he doesn’t cover the NFL or Bills and is covers a different sport.
Ariel is an outstanding broadcaster and exceptional interviewer. He has shown a willingness throughout his career to take on tough issues and people. The point was that regardless of which sport he covers, showing excitement about what he loves doesn’t lessen his credibility or ability to ask tough questions and hold people accountable. The same applies to every other broadcaster. This isn’t just about Lynn Jones and the Jaguars press room. It’s a discussion for all media members.