Los Angeles, CA, is home to some of the world’s most talented individuals. For legendary journalist Jeff Schultz, the city was a catalyst for a life filled with world-class experiences.
Born in 1959, Jeff entered the world during a time of civil rights protests, legendary musicians, and life without the internet, all of which set the stage for an eventful childhood as he explored California’s different regions with his family and discovered what the Sunshine State had to offer.
Growing Up In Paradise
“It was a very, very normal upbringing,” Schultz said when asked about his childhood. “I had normal friends and had normal jobs.”
Normal was Schultz’s life as a Los Angeles native, but to people who don’t live in sunny California, his life probably sounded like a vacation.
“We generally lived 15 minutes from the beach. I was there all the time. Although I never really learned to surf, ironically enough. I did body surf, but just go to the beach, hang out, go to the Santa Monica Pier,” Schultz said when asked about his daily routines.
“Just totally ‘veg out’ as much as possible. It’s a very easy place to just sort of relax and sleep. We went to Hollywood once in a while, and Westwood, which is where UCLA is. I used to hang out there a lot.”
As a resident in one of the world’s busiest cities, Schultz was constantly surrounded by opportunity. In 1966, the NHL announced that an expansion team was coming to Los Angeles. Three years later, the 10-year-old Jeff attended his first hockey game, changing the trajectory of his life forever.
The Arrival of Kings
Even though the Kings were one of the worst teams in the NHL in 1969, finishing 24-42, the spectacle of the game alone was enough for Schultz. Witnessing grown men in hockey gear glide up and down the ice rink painted a picture that Jeff had never seen before. It was true artistry in motion, surrounded by an adoring crowd and all the popcorn a kid can eat.
“The speed, the sounds, the smells, the sights, it was all fresh and new,” said Schultz. “It wasn’t orchestrated; you never knew what was going to happen next.”
“I think really looking at that, and really telling stories about that experience, is kind of what got me hooked into potentially being a sports writer.”
Despite the Kings’ countless losses, being around live sports enticed Schultz to make a career out of detailing the experience.
The Odd Couple
One day, while watching TV at home, his future was cemented. One of the biggest TV shows of the 70s was The Odd Couple, and the sports journalist, Oscar Madison, played by Jack Klugman, was a major influence on the 13-year-old.
“The Odd Couple was basically about two divorced men,” explained Schultz. “One was a sports writer, one was a photographer. The sports writer was a real slob, the photographer was kind of a neat freak.”
“I remember there was this scene I was watching one time when Oscar, the sportswriter, wakes up in the morning, he looks like he hadn’t slept all night, puts on his bathrobe, reaches in his [pocket], and there’s half a sandwich there, and takes a bite.”
“Now, that would gross out most people. For me, I’m like, I want that job,” Schultz said while laughing.
Picking Up The Pen
Schultz had decided on his career path. He dedicated the rest of his teens to learning about the world of journalism.
In high school, he started writing for the school newspaper and fell in love with telling stories. Coincidentally, an influx of journalists entered the industry after seeing the Washington Post cover the infamous Watergate scandal during Richard Nixon’s term, and Jeff was one of the many.
“I graduated high school in 1977. A lot of us at that time got into the field or were inspired by what happened in Watergate,” Schultz said.
“I think there were two sides. A lot of us wanted to go out, save the world, and report everything that everybody was hiding from us.”
“And then the other side of it is, when you’re young, you want to show how fancy you are, how much you can make words dance, or how funny you can be, and this and that. And I think at the beginning, I had to learn…to be accurate and find something out that nobody else knows.”
Off to College
As high school neared its end, Schultz had his sights set on a journalism degree, and so began his conquest.
“We lived very close to UCLA, and I would have loved to have gone to UCLA, but they didn’t have a journalism major. And at that time, I really wanted to major in journalism,” Schultz said.
“Now, in retrospect, I shouldn’t have. There’s no reason to major in journalism, honestly, in college. You could take journalism courses, you can write for the school newspaper, and you could learn a lot of stuff.”
USC was another local option, but private school tuition was difficult for his parents to afford. After receiving his father’s approval, he chose California State University, Long Beach.
“It was different, it was kind of a different atmosphere, different vibe. I kind of liked it,” said Schultz on his CSULB.
“It’s a commuter school, I mean, and not a lot of people live on campus. They really didn’t have campus housing. It was a state school, and I was fine with it,” Schultz said. “ I was convinced then, and I’m really kind of convinced now, you could have a great career in journalism without going to a quote-on-quote great journalism school.
“Things have changed a lot. I think a lot of it is basically how hard you work, and things you know.”
Schultz began mastering his craft, and he started writing part-time for the Santa Monica Evening Outlook and the CSU Long Beach school newspaper. His first beat was covering Head Coach Dave Currey and his Long Beach State football team, which exposed him to the Pacific Coast Athletic Association.
A Trip to Boise
At the time of the 1977 football season, the featured teams of the PCAA were San Jose State, Fresno State, Pacific, and Cal State Fullerton. The Fresno State Bulldogs dominated the conference that year with a 9-2 record, while the other four teams struggled to stay above .500.
Jeff didn’t care much about Long Beach’s record because he was finally immersed in his habitat.
Two years later, Schultz’s reputation was growing across campus, and he was chosen to cover the Long Beach versus Boise State game on Sep. 15, 1979. Jeff boarded the plane with the team and got his first taste of real-world sports journalism.
“I just remember it was exciting, I probably told my parents, I’m going to Boise to cover a football game this week, and they’re like, ‘what?’ So, it was kind of fun,” Schultz said. “It was sort of my taste of the big time. In a different city, in a press box that wasn’t in California.”
A Taste of The Big Time
It was a somewhat underwhelming affair for the fans, with neither team scoring double digits, but for Jeff, it was an experience that shaped the rest of his career.
“You go from covering a high school football game and keeping your own stats. All of a sudden, they’re handing out statistics to you after each quarter,” Schultz said. “Again, it was Long Beach State, you know. It wasn’t USC versus Notre Dame, but it was to me. It was kind of the big time, and it gave me a taste of what it was like to travel, and I definitely liked it a lot.”
Coach Currey led the Niners to victory over the Broncos 9-7 and went on to finish the season 7-4. It was their best season during Schultz’s tenure.
By 1981, it was time for his next chapter in journalism.
Year One
Schultz got a job as a beat writer for the Los Angeles Daily News in the fall of 1981 after graduating from college. He was barely 22 years old and already a full-time journalist covering the Los Angeles Kings, Los Angeles Lakers, and Los Angels Rams.
It was a full-circle moment after watching the Kings as a child. Unfortunately, not much had changed in 12 years as the Kings remained one of the worst teams in the league.
Luckily for Jeff, his time at Long Beach State taught him how to make a losing team enjoyable for his readers. His columns became prominent for their critical style, and he learned very early about the power behind his words.
“The thing that I learned, and maybe I was prepared for it, because I was never really awed by the whole celebrity element thing, but when you wrote something, they read it,” Schultz said.
“You’re not just writing in your room, you’re writing something on a typewriter, and then putting it on the paper. When you write something, they read it. Somebody’s picking it up the next day and reading what you wrote.”
For the next four years, Jeff covered the Kings and the Rams until he left the L.A. Daily News for the San Jose Mercury News in 1985.
It was perfect timing, as the San Francisco 49ers were in the middle of their dynasty after drafting Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana in the third round of the 1979 NFL Draft.
The Gold Rush
Montana and the Niners were the biggest beat in all of sports at the time. The two-time MVP led the 13-3 49ers to Super Bowl XVI in 1982, where they defeated the Cincinnati Bengals 26-21. The 49ers would return to the Super Bowl two years later in 1984, where they beat the Miami Dolphins 38-16.
In the fall of 1987, Schultz was assigned to the 49ers as their lead beat writer, a significant change from covering the Kings and Rams. His articles sold at a rapid rate, and his reputation grew even more. Jeff became a regular, showing his face at every post-game press conference or practice.
Being around the team every day helped him build camaraderie with the players, especially with Ronnie Lott. Schultz earned the trust of the superstar safety, and the two developed an unexpected friendship that Jeff still cherishes to this day.
“I don’t know [why we were so close],” said Schultz. “The paper I worked at in the Bay Area, we used to do a weekly player diary, and he was the player diary, and so I sort of had this built-in time that I would spend with him, sit with him for 30 minutes and talk.”
Warrior Mentality
Ronnie was one of the most popular athletes on the planet during his prime, but he wasn’t comfortable around much of the media because of the false narratives they perpetuated. The ten-time Pro Bowler needed an edge, and Schultz understood what Lott called his ‘Warrior Mentality’.
“He had other things in his life. He played with a ferociousness, and he was a very tough guy” said Schultz. “[There was] a story about how he broke one of his fingers, and at some point, they really didn’t know if they could save the finger, so he said, ‘just cut it off. ’”
Schultz revealed a sensitive side to the Hall of Famer that only Lott’s family members had been privileged to witness before. He grew fond of Ronnie, and the feelings were reciprocated.
“But if you met him, he was the nicest, quietest guy in the world. He’s a completely different guy on the field and off the field. And, I don’t know, we just sort of connected. It’s hard to explain why or how.”
The Niners continued their dominance into the 90s after trading for Hall of Famer Steve Young in 1987, but for Jeff, a new chapter was imminent. In the summer of 1989, He was hired by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and so began his journey down south.
The Squared Circle
After landing in Atlanta, Jeff hit the ground running as a new reporter for the Peach State’s most prestigious publication. One of the biggest beats at the time was boxing, and Schultz had an affinity for the sport. Schultz had covered the infamous middleweight title bout Hagler vs Hearns in Las Vegas four years earlier in the Spring of 1985.
“I want to say it only lasted three rounds, or four rounds? It wasn’t very long, but each round was all-out war, and I was sitting in the third row from the ring, and I know I had blood and sweat coming at me a couple times,” Schultz said.
“It was just a ferocious fight. I would recommend anybody, and it’s not the same; you could plug it into YouTube, I’m sure it’d be there. It wasn’t the same as sitting three rows from the ring.”
Jeff’s previous experience earned him his editors’ trust, and he was assigned to cover Evander Holyfield’s beat. In 1989, Holyfield was one of the biggest names on the planet, and the Georgia native was very popular in Atlanta.
The former Cruiserweight world champion was Mike Tyson’s biggest threat, but he would have to prove himself to earn the blockbuster matchup. While covering his rise through the ranks, Schultz and Evander became very close.
Holyfield Versus Tyson
After having a rivalry with Riddick Bowe that spanned three years, Holyfield had solidified himself as the number-one contender by 1995. On Sep. 7, 1996, Tyson announced that he would fight Holyfield after his win over Bruce Seldon.
The fight would take place 63 days later, on Nov. 9, and Jeff would board a plane to Vegas once again. Evander would open up as a +2500 underdog to the -2500 favorite Iron Mike.
It wasn’t uncommon to see Tyson amass such odds; he was in his prime at 30 years old, while Holyfield was four years older and had 11 fewer fights.
“The one thing I knew about Holyfield was he wouldn’t be scared, and when he got punched in the face, he’d punch back,” said Schultz.
“The problem was that Holyfield, if you look back, was coming off a couple of really bad fights, and he looked like he was done. Unlike most people who thought Tyson would win, I didn’t view him as unbeatable. I just didn’t believe Evander had anything left. I was wrong.”
Their rivalry was at its boiling point, and when the two finally stepped into the ring, Schultz would witness history. Holyfield went on to KO Tyson in the 11th round, dethroning the WBA Heavyweight king. It was such a massive upset that Tyson demanded an immediate rematch, the second and final time he would do so in his illustrious 39-year career.
The Bite of 1997
Holyfield and Tyson would meet again on June 28, 1997, where the infamous ear-biting incident occurred in the third round.
“I actually was in Holyfield’s locker room before the fight, and I was gonna write this whole thing about what it’s like to be in Holyfield’s locker,” said Schultz
“He actually allowed me to do that. So I saw his warm-ups, I saw his prayers, I saw everything, and then when the fight happened, I walked out, not with him, but I walked after he walked out, I walked out and sat in my usual seat.”
Jeff was angry seeing Evander suffer at the hands of the cheating Tyson.
“Tyson was just looking for a way out of the fight. He was not right mentally; he was looking for a way out, and that’s where the whole biting thing happened. He bit him once, he got warned, and he bit him again. And that’s when they called the fight.”
Schultz Stands By His Friend’s Side
Tyson was immediately disqualified, and Holyfield retained his titles. Schultz was worried about his friend after witnessing the bizarre bout and accompanied Evander to the Hospital.
“Of course, all hell breaks loose, and I went to the hospital’s emergency room, while they were tending to his ear,” Schultz said. “Somebody actually showed up with a little piece of the ear in a napkin, and the surgeon was like, ‘I can’t do anything with this.’”
It was one of the most significant events Schultz would cover in his entire career, and the two are close friends today.
The Inception Of The Athletic
Over the next two decades, Schultz’s name became synonymous with the AJC’s most popular articles, and by 2016, he was a household name in Atlanta’s massive sports industry. He created his podcast, “We Never Played The Game,” with co-host Zach Klein on Cox Media Group, and it was highly successful.
It was a new digital age that Schultz thrived in after beginning his career on a typewriter. One year later, in 2017, The Athletic was created by co-owners Alex Mather and Adam Hansmann.
In 2018, the pair began enlisting a roster of prominent journalists across multiple states to produce coverage for their rising media company. By July, Schultz and AJC writer David O’Brien were chosen for their Atlanta expansion. It was a tough decision, but Jeff accepted The Athletic’s job offer, ending his 29-year tenure with the AJC.
On July 17, 2018, Jeff published an introductory piece for The Athletic and began producing general sports columns shortly after. As a senior writer, he was given the freedom to write on any topic, whether it was Atlanta-area sports or something on a more national level.
Two years into his tenure, the Covid-19 pandemic would put the entire world on pause, giving Schultz plenty of opportunities to self-reflect. It was at this time that retirement began to feel like a real possibility.
A Legend’s Retirement
In 2021, the pandemic ended, and the world began to feel normal again. Unfortunately, Schultz was still troubled by his carousel of thoughts.
“I would go to sleep and wake up with the same thought. When I’m writing a story, that’s fine. When I’m reporting it, that’s fine. It was the time between the columns,” Schultz said. “That was the tough part, trying to think what’s next, what can I do new, what’s fresh, and you live with that, particularly when you’re writing columns.”
After chasing story after story for almost 40 years, he signed his last contract with The Athletic. When asked about the thought process behind his retirement, Jeff replied:
“When you’re writing columns, you do whatever you want to do, to some degree, and you’re always trying to be different, and write something that has to be written.”
“I mean, if you’re writing a story on the Falcons draft, okay. How are you going to write this differently? What’s your approach going to be?” Schultz said. “And after a while, you just get tired. It’s the easiest way to put it. I needed to rest my brain a little bit.”
Family and Friends First
Not even his closest friends in the industry were aware of the impending conclusion. He shared his desire to retire with his wife, and she fully supported him, as she had throughout his entire career. Jeff would write for two more years before announcing his retirement from journalism on Dec. 27, 2023.
“I knew going into that last year that was going to be it. I mean, I talked to my wife a little bit about it, but I hadn’t really articulated to The Athletic or anything,” said Schultz.
“Still, I knew that that was going to be it. I think if that yearning, burning desire was still there, I would have kept going, if not at The Athletic, somewhere else.”
“But I got kids and grandkids. We want to travel, and all that other stuff comes into it too, and you want to do it while you’re still alive and healthy, and not being pushed around in a wheelchair, and frankly, I’m blessed. I had the luxury that I could do it, right?”
“A lot of times, people want to retire and they can’t financially, and so I got very lucky with some things early in my career, and I did okay.”
In Hindsight
Schultz’s retirement was a trending topic. It was covered by multiple media outlets, including Awful Announcing.
I asked Jeff if he would change anything about his 42-year journey, and he replied:
“I think there are always things you would change in your career and your life. You would have done something differently, and you would’ve reported something differently.”
“From a professional standpoint, you should have asked this person that question, or you should have appreciated more where they were coming from. I mean, I think back at the Lakers, I could have done so many more stories when I realized I loved covering Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, but he was a tough nut to crack.”
“But looking back, I should have spent more time really trying to develop that relationship, because you talk about one of the guys I respect as much as anybody else.”
Epilogue
To end the interview, Schultz shared some words of advice for all the rising journalists in this new digital age of media:
“Learn to do everything, be prepared to do everything, then once you get into it, see what you really love, and see what area you want to pursue.”
“I can’t tell you where it’s going. I never thought podcasts would get this big. When Zach [Klein] and I did a podcast, we kind of did it for fun,” Schultz said. “Now it’s crazy. I mean, podcasts, particularly in the political sphere, are some of the most powerful media outlets in the world now. I do think there’s gonna be a market correction on some things, but I just think you need to be prepared to do everything.”
The California native set out on a mission to tell stories and, in doing so, became an award-winning journalist. Now that it’s over, Schultz plans to live out the rest of his days with his wife and family.
He currently works for the nonprofit organization William’s House. Their objective is to help fathers suffering from drug addiction find stability in their lives, so Jeff has dedicated his life to a much greater cause than a ball game could ever be.
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