You’ve probably seen the headlines about the "death" of Sports Illustrated a dozen times by now. It’s become a bit of a grim ritual in sports media. Every few months, there’s a new crisis involving licensing fees, AI-generated avatars, or mass layoffs. But if you actually click onto the site today, you’ll find one name still anchoring the whole ship: Pat Forde.
Honestly, it’s kinda wild that he’s still there.
Forde joined Sports Illustrated in 2019, coming over from Yahoo Sports back when SI was trying to rebuild its prestige. Since then, he’s lived through the Arena Group era, the 2024 "termination" scare, and the eventual takeover by Minute Media. Through all that corporate chaos, Forde has remained the definitive voice on college football, the Olympics, and anything involving a horse racing track.
What Really Happened with Pat Forde and the SI Layoffs?
Back in January 2024, the internet had a collective meltdown. News broke that the entire staff of Sports Illustrated had been laid off. People were writing obituaries for the magazine before the coffee had even gone cold.
Pat Forde was actually the one who stepped up to clarify things on X (formerly Twitter). He basically told everyone to take a breath. While he acknowledged it was an "ugly, brutal day," he pointed out that the entire staff hadn't been wiped out in one go. He was one of the heavy hitters who stayed on through the transition to Minute Media, proving that even in a dying industry, there is still a massive premium on "institutional knowledge."
📖 Related: NFL Football Teams in Order: Why Most Fans Get the Hierarchy Wrong
You can’t just replace a guy who has been nominated for a Pulitzer Prize (1990) and has 28 APSE writing awards.
The "Forde-Yard Dash" and Why it Works
If you follow college football, you know the Forde-Yard Dash. It’s his signature column. It isn't just a list of scores; it’s a weekly deep dive into the absurdity of the sport. Forde has this specific knack for highlighting the "college-ness" of college football—the weird mascots, the questionable coaching decisions, and the insane fan bases.
Most sportswriters today are terrified of losing access. They write "safe" prose. Forde? He’ll call out a coach for being a "narcissistic clown" if the situation warrants it. That’s why people still search for Pat Forde Sports Illustrated—they want the unfiltered take.
The 2026 Landscape: Reporting on the Betting Scandals
As of early 2026, Forde hasn't slowed down. If anything, the news cycle has gotten darker, and his reporting has gotten sharper. He recently broke down the massive federal point-shaving scandal involving 20 college basketball players across 17 different programs.
👉 See also: Why Your 1 Arm Pull Up Progression Isn't Working (And How to Fix It)
It’s nasty stuff.
Forde and his frequent collaborator Michael Rosenberg have been the ones digging into the plea deals of players like Elijah Gray and Micawber “Mac” Etienne. While other outlets are just reposting press releases, Forde is writing about the "casual indifference" of the sport’s leadership. He’s arguing that when you professionalize college sports and flood them with gambling money, you shouldn’t be surprised when 19-year-olds start tanking the first half of a game for $10,000.
A Career Built on Accountability
Forde didn’t just appear out of nowhere. He spent 17 years at the Louisville Courier-Journal. That’s where he really cut his teeth. He famously took on the University of Louisville’s academic scandals, which earned him that Pulitzer nod but also made him a bit of a pariah in his own city for a while.
He then moved through the "Big Three" of sports media:
✨ Don't miss: El Salvador partido de hoy: Why La Selecta is at a Critical Turning Point
- ESPN: Where he became a household name for college fans.
- Yahoo Sports: Where he leaned into the digital-first, fast-paced reporting style.
- Sports Illustrated: Where he currently serves as a Senior Writer and the primary anchor for their college sports vertical.
Why Forde Sticking Around Matters for SI's Future
There’s a lot of debate about whether Sports Illustrated can ever be the "Gold Standard" again. Maybe not. The magazine industry is a shell of its former self. But having a guy like Pat Forde on the masthead gives the brand a shield of credibility.
When you see a Pat Forde byline, you know a few things:
- The facts are checked.
- The prose won't be boring.
- There’s a human being behind the words, not a bot.
He’s also busy with the College Football Enquirer podcast and his work on the Big Ten Network. He’s essentially a one-man media conglomerate at this point.
How to Keep Up with Pat Forde's Latest Work
If you’re trying to find his most recent stuff, don't just search the main SI homepage; it can be a bit of a cluttered mess these days. Instead, go straight to his author page or follow his social feeds where he links his "Dash" and "Forde Minutes" columns directly.
Actionable Insight for Sports Fans:
If you want to understand the shifting landscape of NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) and the transfer portal, read Forde’s recent analysis of the "Indiana Destruction Tour" or his breakdowns of Charlie Baker’s NCAA leadership. He’s one of the few writers who can explain the legal jargon of the modern NCAA without making your eyes bleed.
The best way to support the kind of journalism Forde does is to actually read it on the primary source. Don't just settle for the AI summaries on your social feed. Go to the source, read the long-form pieces, and appreciate the fact that there are still guys like Forde willing to sit in a press box until 2:00 AM to get the story right.