Rick Reilly

Rick Reilly, an eleven-time NSSA National Sportswriter of the Year, solidified his position as one of America’s most recognized sportswriters over a distinguished career. After beginning his journalism career in 1979 as an undergraduate assistant with the Daily Camera, Reilly went on to write for the Denver Post as a football writer starting in 1981, and the Los Angeles Times in 1983. In 1985, Reilly joined Sports Illustrated, where he earned widespread recognition for his human interest pieces. From 1997 to 2007, his popular column, “Life of Reilly,” was featured on the back page of Sports Illustrated, marking the first-ever signed opinion piece in the magazine’s history and establishing his influential voice in sports journalism.

In 2006, Reilly initiated a column in Sports Illustrated that directly led to the creation of the Nothing But Nets foundation, established in partnership with the United Nations Foundation, dedicated to providing anti-malaria nets to African children. Reilly’s career reflects a sustained commitment to storytelling, blending insightful sports commentary with compelling human interest narratives, leaving a notable and enduring mark on both sports journalism and the global community through his media presence, literary achievements, and humanitarian initiatives.