Part of what I love about my job covering the Jets and Giants for SportsNet New York (SNY) is that I get to do a little bit of everything. On TV, I’m both a reporter—delivering news and analysis—and a personality—bringing energy and insight. I also write columns and features, cover breaking news, and produce social media content.

All of that comes into play on game days. I usually get to the stadium four hours before kickoff to record player arrivals, which I post to social and file so that SNY can use them on TV. It might sound like a small thing, but these arrival videos have become a big deal. Some of the players invest a lot of time and money into their outfits and like getting the attention. (Some—Aaron Rodgers, for instance—show up wearing whatever.) Regardless, the videos are about more than just getting extra content; they’re another way for me to build my rapport with the players. Relationships are everything in this business, and any extra face time I can get with players helps.

When that’s done, I head to the press box to quickly apply some makeup (never thought I’d be doing that!) before making my way down to the field to record my pregame hit. My producer usually gives me the topic on Monday, and I’ll spend the week talking with coaches, staff, and players to get the full story. The goal is to turn a week’s worth of reporting into a tight 60- or 90-second on-air piece that’s both fresh and insightful. It’s far different than when I wrote for The Athletic and could stretch my reporting to thousands of words if I wanted. Now, I need to convey the same depth of information in a fraction of the time. It’s a unique way of reporting a story, and I love the challenge. 

Once I’m done there, I usually hang out on the field to catch up with coaches and players before heading back to the press box for kickoff. I can’t tell you how many times friends have asked for guest credentials thinking the press box is some sort of fan experience. It’s not. There’s no clapping, no cheering, and aside from the occasional library-level conversations, there’s not much talking at all. Mostly I’m tweeting updates and tracking key moments for my postgame hit and column. 

When the game ends, I head back down to the bowels of the stadium for the coach’s press conference, then it’s into the locker room to talk with players. Some guys can be very raw and emotional after a game. That’s valuable, because you don’t always get that same frankness when you talk with them during the week after they’ve cooled off. Next, I head back to the field to do another on-air segment—either a talkback (a live hit with the studio for SNY’s nightly show) or a standup (a solo hit where I pick a topic from the game and record a verbal column on it). Finally, I head back to the press box to write and file my column. 

It’s a long day. For a 1 o’clock game at MetLife, I’ll get there around 9 a.m. and get home around 9 p.m. Night games stretch even later, and away games can mean writing until the early morning hours and then catching a flight. When I covered the Jets in Pittsburgh for a Sunday night game in October, I didn’t leave the stadium until 2:15 a.m., crashed at the hotel for an hour, and then caught a 6 a.m. flight home. (Caffeine is a must.) 

Even so, I constantly have to pinch myself when I think about what I do for a living. I grew up obsessed with football, and now I’m making a career out of the game I love. It really is a dream come true.

Read how Connor Hughes scored his first national scoop while still a student at Monmouth.