Overview
- Multiple outlets reported Wednesday that Jonathan Jones is in advanced but unfinalized talks to leave CBS Sports for The Athletic, with spokespeople for both organizations declining to comment.
- Sources say any role at The Athletic would emphasize long-form features and behind-the-scenes NFL work rather than the day-to-day transaction scoops associated with a traditional insider.
- Jones joined CBS in 2019, was promoted to the network’s lead NFL insider in 2022, and in 2025 shifted away from a full-time on-air role to write and appear on CBS streaming platforms.
- The reported talks follow Dianna Russini’s April resignation from The Athletic after published photos prompted an internal Times Company review that the publisher has said is still ongoing.
- If Jones departs, CBS would face another gap to fill in its NFL coverage before the 2026 season and The Athletic’s hiring choice could influence how newsrooms balance rapid scoops with longer investigative or feature reporting.