@ESPN Senior Writer. NYT Bestselling Author writing a Jerry Jones bio for @AvidReaderPress. Co-Founder @sundaylongread. “Big Twitter guy.” — @washingtonpost
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Some news: I’m writing a book about Jerry Jones. Called “The Star,” my book will trace Jones’s remarkable life story and the astonishing rise of the NFL. Thrilled to be back in Jerry’s World. Coming in 2026 from @AvidReaderPress, a @simonschuster imprint. about.simonandschuster.biz/n…
“We’ll put our track record of impactful stories centered on leagues, teams, and sports figures of significance against that of any outlet in the industry.”
I gave a 500-word statement to @Ourand_Puck about our Aug. 17 Steve Ballmer/NBA settlement negotiations. puck.news/newsletter_content…
Don Van Natta Jr. retweeted
The Varsity
* @DVNJr defends ESPN's Clippers' story.
* @eriqgardner suggests that universities should allow college players to unionize.
puck.news/newsletter_content…
Excellent piece by @benjstrauss and @kalynkahler
New @espn: @kalynkahler and I explored how the Patriots and Mike Vrabel survived a wild off-season that tested one of the NFL's dirtiest words: distraction.
Plus the ripple effects of a tabloid scandal for women reporters, NFL coaches and comms staffs. espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/4983…
Way back in 2015, Robert Kraft and Jerry Jones were among the first investors in DraftKings when the startup was operating in a grey zone of legalized wagering.
This all-in embrace of gambling is nothing new for the NFL’s power brokers.
My August 2016 ESPN story on FanDuel and DraftKing’s early and stubborn growing pains, before the US Supreme Court’s May 2018 decision legalizing sports wagering turned both companies into publicly traded behemoths wielding outsized influence in sports.
espn.com/espn/feature/story/…
Don Van Natta Jr. retweeted
At least one in four NFL players who died between 2016 and 2021 had the degenerative brain disease CTE, a new study revealed. The study, published Tuesday by the British Medical Journal, focused on how common CTE might be among NFL players.
espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/4972…
Readers added context they thought people might want to know
The study examined 25% of players who died in the timeframe, but nearly 100% of those examined had CTE.
Source: espn.com/nfl/story/_/id…
Study’s Alarming Finding: At Least 1 in 4 N.F.L. Players Gets Brain Disease
Big news from @JohnBranchNYT
nytimes.com/2026/08/25/us/nf…
Don Van Natta Jr. retweeted
If you want to get emotional over your morning coffee, this is the story for you.
"Taste is just memory in disguise."
One of the many memorable lines in Dana Brown's Sunday Long Read this morning.
mailchi.mp/sundaylongread/au…
“The Times had not lost a defamation lawsuit brought in the United States over one of its articles in more than 50 years.”
News: An Alabama jury says The New York Times defamed former college basketball player Kai Spears in a 2023 article, awards $9.25 million in damages -- full story to come nytimes.com/2026/08/20/busin…
Don Van Natta Jr. retweeted
And then you went into sports journalism and wrote about sign-stealing!! I think there's a pattern here 🤣
Twenty-eight years ago today, my pal @jbennet and I landed this scoop on the NYT front page. One of my all-time favorites.
Did President Clinton Send Monica Lewinsky a Signal With His Necktie? archive.nytimes.com/www.nyti…
Don Van Natta Jr. retweeted
Twenty-eight years ago today, my pal @jbennet and I landed this scoop on the NYT front page. One of my all-time favorites.
Did President Clinton Send Monica Lewinsky a Signal With His Necktie? archive.nytimes.com/www.nyti…
Twenty-eight years ago today, my pal @jbennet and I landed this scoop on the NYT front page. One of my all-time favorites.
Did President Clinton Send Monica Lewinsky a Signal With His Necktie? archive.nytimes.com/www.nyti…
This just makes me sad.
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Don Van Natta Jr. retweeted
"To be in a room with Bill, was to feel his infectious enthusiasm. The energy he brought."
Retired ESPN anchor Bob Ley refelcts on the legacy of Bill Rasmussen ❤️
Bill Rasmussen was one of the greats. And a great guy. RIP espn.com/espn/story/_/id/496…
Filed to ESPN: EXCLUSIVE: Sources: NBA has no evidence Ballmer funneled money to Leonard via sponsors
With @ramonashelburne & @baxter espn.com/nba/story/_/id/4963…
Don Van Natta Jr. retweeted
Deep-dive reporting doesn’t just “move the needle.” It’s what readers crave. The work is hard. And it’s increasingly rare.
And in sports, one investigative piece has more impact than 1,000 hot takes and often can make a real difference.
Bravo, @martynziegler
This piece by @martynziegler for @TimesSport may go down as one of the most impactful pieces of sports reporting in recent memory. This is why journalism exists and we should all be thankful for the work Martyn and his colleagues have done.
thetimes.com/sport/football/…
