ESPN Signs Senior Writer Bill Barnwell To Multi-Year Extension

Posted by ESPN

ESPN has signed senior writer Bill Barnwell to a new multi-year extension. A leading voice in the company’s NFL coverage, Barnwell will continue to write his popular column for ESPN.com and host his ESPN Audio podcast, The Bill Barnwell Show, while continuing to contribute to ESPN Radio, television and digital platforms.

Barnwell’s unique brand of football writing for ESPN.com and ESPN The Magazine combines quantitative and qualitative analysis to dig deeper into how teams win games and how players impact them. He recently wrote three significant stories in the span of a week – features on the Antonio Brown and Odell Beckham trades and an NFL free-agency grades piece, which generated significant traffic for ESPN.com.

Barnwell will expand his role in ESPN’s growing collection of digital shows and be a guest on SportsCenter, Daily Wager and more. While continuing to focus on the NFL, Barnwell will also continue to venture into other realms on occasions, including soccer, baseball, basketball and hockey analysis.

“We’re incredibly excited that Bill’s voice and perspective will continue to expand across ESPN’s platforms. His analysis is appointment-reading for NFL fans, but he’s also proven his expertise is not limited to the NFL alone. He’s a singular talent, and we’re thrilled that fans will continue to be able to find Bill’s work wherever they interact with ESPN,” said ESPN senior deputy editor Lauren Reynolds.

Added Barnwell: “ESPN has been a wonderful place to work, and I’m excited to continue my career here. I’m blessed to write alongside very talented colleagues and for a brilliant editorial staff which tolerates exhaustingly long columns about football twice a week.”

Barnwell has been with ESPN since November 2015 and he originally joined the company as one of the lead writers for Grantland in 2011. He was on staff during the site’s entire four-plus year run, serving as its primary football writer and co-hosting the popular Grantland NFL Podcast. Barnwell was also a regular on ESPN Insider when he wrote for Football Outsiders.―BCS Bureau