On Sunday, Nicki Jhabvala published a story for The Washington Post about Terry McLaurin’s ongoing contract negotiations with the Washington Commanders.
As it turned out, the story would be her last for the outlet, as the veteran NFL beat reporter announced on Monday that she is now covering the Commanders for The Athletic.
“Oh hey I got a new gig! I’m now a senior writer for @TheAthletic covering the Commanders. As a wise man once said, it’s time to ‘let it f’in rip,'” Jhabvala wrote on X, along with a gif of newly signed Washington pass-rusher Von Miller.
Jhabvala is the second D.C.-based NFL writer to depart The Washington Post for The Athletic in the last few days. Late last week, longtime Post sportswriter Dan Steinberg announced he was joining The Athletic as its NFL managing editor amid buyout offers at the newspaper. It’s currently unclear whether Jhabvala’s departure from the Post is related to those buyouts.
This marks Jhabvala’s second stint with The Athletic, who she previously covered the Denver Broncos for from 2018-2020 before joining the Washington Post to cover the Washington Football Team. She also covered the Broncos for The Denver Post from 2014-2018 and was previously an editor and producer for The New York Times, Sports on Earth and Sports Illustrated, according to her Washington Post bio.
While The Athletic has been no stranger to departures of its own when it comes to its NFL staff in recent months, many of those moves have come as the result of other opportunities within the industry. And while The New York Times-owned outlet has made moves focused on national coverage, the addition of an experienced beat reporter such as Jhabvala only emphasizes that it isn’t abandoning its local approach either.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.