Adam Schefter

Education and career

Schefter was born in Valley Stream, New York, and grew up in Bellmore, New York, where he attended John F. Kennedy High School, graduating in June 1985. He is a 1989 graduate of the University of Michigan and a graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism. Schefter was an editor at The Michigan Daily, where he began his newspaper career. While at Northwestern, Schefter worked as a freelance reporter for the Chicago Tribune. After graduating from Northwestern in June 1990, Schefter was an intern for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer before moving to Denver in 1990, when he started writing for the Rocky Mountain News in September 1990 and then The Denver Post in July 1996.

Journalism career

Schefter joined the NFL Network in 2004 and appeared on NFL Total Access and also wrote for NFL.COM. Before joining the NFL Network, Schefter appeared five times on ESPN's Around the Horn as a substitute for Woody Paige, who was based in Denver at the time. Before Around the Horn, Schefter appeared on ESPN's The Sports Reporters. Schefter appeared on NBC twice in the summer of 2008, working as the sideline reporter for Al Michaels and John Madden during the Redskins-Colts Hall-of-Fame game and then the Redskins-Jaguars preseason finale.

According to a USA Today survey of fans published January 19, 2009, "NFL Network's Adam Schefter edged ESPN's Chris Mortensen (34%-32%) for best [NFL] insider despite the NFL Network being in less than half as many U.S. households." Schefter was again selected as the best (NFL) insider in a November 2010 USA Today fan poll. Schefter was voted USA Today's best "insider" for a third straight year in November 2011.

In 2009, Schefter became a football analyst with ESPN. He began appearing on-air on August 17, 2009. In October 2010, Sports Illustrated writers included Schefter in its "Power 40," a listing of the NFL's best officials, executives, coaches, players and media members.

In 2014, Schefter was the recipient of multiple awards, including being named the "Most Influential Tweeter in New York" by New York magazine in February, "Best Newsbreaker" by the sports media website Awful Announcing in its second annual People's Sports TV Award Winners in May, and SI.com's “Media Person of the Year.”

In November 2015, Schefter was named The Cynopsis Sports Media Personality of the Year, which is presented annually to a VIP whose work in the sports industry has transcended how sports connect with fans. In the same year, he was named honorable mention for Sports Illustrated Now's 2015 Media Person of the Year, and 2015 Sports Media Personality of the Year by the Tampa Bay Times

Schefter joined the NBA on ESPN team for multiple games as a sideline reporter in 2017. His first assignment was February 15th between the New York Knicks and the Oklahoma City Thunder. ESPN presented Schefter with the opportunity to work select NBA games as part of his new contract.

In February 2017, ESPN Audio launched Schefter's "Know Them From Adam" podcast, featuring long-form conversations with newsmakers who have a connection to football.

Controversy

On July 9, 2015, Schefter tweeted a medical chart photo indicating that Jason Pierre-Paul had his right index finger amputated. On February 5, 2016, it was reported that two individuals were fired from Jackson Memorial Hospital after a lengthy investigation for violating HIPAA laws. Pierre-Paul sued Schefter and ESPN for breach of privacy in September 2016. In February 2017, Pierre-Paul and ESPN settled the lawsuit.

Personal life

Schefter is married to Sharri Maio. His wife had previously been married to Joseph Maio, who was one of many Cantor Fitzgerald employees who lost their lives in the September 11, 2001 attack on the World Trade Center, and she gave birth to a son named Devon before her husband was killed. The two met on a blind date in 2006 and were married a year later. In addition to the aforementioned Devon, Schefter and his wife are parents to daughter Dylan.

Movie appearances

Schefter had a cameo appearance in the 2005 movie The Longest Yard.

Radio career

Schefter is a regular guest on numerous radio programs, including 104.3 KKFN in Denver, Colorado, ESPN 980 in Washington D.C., ESPN 1000 in Chicago, Illinois, and 97.5 The Fanatic in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Publications