Columnist Jeff Seidel, Free Press Sports section win national awards
The Free Press Sports department won four honors in the largest competition category of the Associated Press Sports Editors awards, the organization announced last week.
This year's competition acknowledged work published in 2024. The Free Press' awards include:
∎ Jeff Seidel was named one of the top 10 columnists in the country with his entry, which included stories on philanthropy by the Detroit Lions players, a life-saving Lions fan and a Michigan Tech basketball victory that went viral.
∎ Seidel won Top 10 in the Long Features category for his profile of ailing Tigers legend Chet Lemon.
SHAWN WINDSOR: Detroit fan extraordinaire Andy Isaac leaves amazing legacy — and great Chicago Bears diss
∎ Photographer Junfu Han's photo of San Francisco wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk making a game-changing catch after the ball bounced off Lions cornerback Kindle Vildor's facemask in last year's NFC championship game was named as one of the top 10 action photos. The award is Han's second from APSE, with his previous coming in 2021.
∎ And the Free Press' daily and Sunday sports print section was honored as one of the Top 10 among the country's biggest news organizations. Among the entry was the coverage of Michigan's national title football game, the Lions in the NFC Championship game and the weekly Lions Blitz section.
It's the first column award for the Free Press since 2020, when Mitch Albom won for the second consecutive year. Seidel had never before won an APSE column honor, but had won awards for feature writing five of the past eight years.
The Free Press print section had not won a Top 10 award since 2018, though it was honored as one of the top 10 Special Sections in 2022 for its Miguel Cabrera commemorative section.
The contest annually recognizes the best in sports sections, sports writing and sports reporting. The organization includes representatives from most daily newspapers and major sports websites in North America.
Bill Bradley is sports editor at the Free Press. He can be reached at bbradley@freepress.com. Follow on Twitter at billbradleyDET.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Seidel, Free Press Sports win national writing, section honors
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
an hour ago
- New York Post
Dan Campbell's emotional reaction to Frank Ragnow's shocking retirement at age 29
Dan Campbell lauded Frank Ragnow on Thursday with an emotional tribute days after the Lions center's shocking retirement at the age of 29. 'Frank's been unbelievable. Teammate, football player, man of the community. He's done it all,' the Detroit head coach said at a press conference, his voice cracking with emotion. 'He will be sorely missed.' Advertisement 4 Lions center Frank Ragnow announced his retirement in June 2025. NurPhoto via Getty Images Ragnow, a four-time Pro Bowler with the Lions, announced his retirement Monday on Instagram. 'I've tried to convince myself that I'm feeling good but I'm not and it's time to prioritize my health and my families [sic] future,' he wrote in the post. Advertisement 'I have given this team everything I have and I thought I had more to give, but the reality is I simply don't. I have to listen to my body and this has been one of the hardest decisions of my life.' As he spoke about Ragnow on Thursday, Campbell referenced one play from Detroit's 31-23 win over the Buccaneers in the 2024 NFC Divisional Round. With the Lions facing a fourth-and-goal from the one-yard line and the game knotted at 10-10, Detroit ran it up the gut with running back Craig Reynolds for the go-ahead touchdown. Advertisement 4 Lions center Frank Ragnow announced his retirement from the NFL Monday after seven seasons. AP 4 Frank Ragnow (77) during the Lions' NFC Divisional Round matchup against the Bucs in January 2024. Getty Images The play was a success due in large part to Ragnow, who managed to block one of Tampa Bay's biggest defensive linemen after a painful collision with the lineman's knee. 'It was huge,' Campbell said. 'That's the type of player he was.' Advertisement 4 Lions head coach Dan Campbell said Thursday that retiring center Frank Ragnow will be 'sorely missed.' AP The 6-foot-5, 310-pound Ragnow played seven seasons with Detroit, sticking by the franchise through its rise from NFC North bottom-dweller to Super Bowl contender. He dealt with a recurring toe problem during his career, which caused him to miss 13 games in 2021, and it flared up in 2022 as well. Ragnow was a Pro Bowl selection in each of the last three seasons leading up to his retirement, and leaves a void for Detroit to fill on the offensive line as the team looks to contend for a championship this season.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Lions trade proposal for Bengals' Trey Hendrickson picked as winning bid by ESPN
Trey Hendrickson traded to the Detroit Lions. Wouldn't that be nice? Lions fans, players, coaches, media would all love to see it. Maybe even Lions general manager Brad Holmes, too. And there's a deal out there. Both sides just need to look to us writers for a fair trade. Advertisement At least, that's what concluded after four writers proposed four trades between the Cincinnati Bengals for four different teams. The best offer? That's right, it was the Lions with the winning bid for the NFL's reigning sack leader. (He has 17½ sacks each of the past two seasons.) Trey Hendrickson trade to Lions proposal Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson stands on the sidelines during the first half against the Baltimore Ravens at Paycor Stadium, Oct. 6, 2024 in Cincinnati. The offer came from ESPN writer Ben Solak, who proposed an exchange of three draft picks and Hendrickson, 30. Lions get: Hendrickson, 2026 fifth-round pick. Bengals get: 2026 second-round pick, 2027 fourth-round pick (can become third-rounder with performance conditions). Solak writes the Lions should behave like a legitimate Super Bowl contender, which they are, and make an aggressive trade for a proven player. He notes they have "plenty of cap space to extend Hendrickson," who has one year remaining on his deal and wants a new deal, which is the impetus for his trade demand. The Lions have the third-most cap space remaining for 2025. Advertisement Ben Baby, ESPN's Bengals reporter, chose the Lions' offer over ones pitched for the Indianapolis Colts, Buffalo Bills and Washington Commanders, and believes it's a realistic offer that could get a deal done. "By acquiring picks in 2026 and 2027, the value of the trade would be prolonged for the Bengals over the course of those players' respective rookie deals," Baby writes, mentioning that sending him to the NFC instead of a rival AFC contender like the Bills is a bonus. MY THEORY: Lions will trade for an edge rusher at some point this offseason Trey Hendrickson with Aidan Hutchinson would be scary Detroit Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson practices during OTAs at Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park on Friday, May 30, 2025. The Lions do not have a feared pass rusher outside of Hutchinson, who is coming off a gruesome leg injury last October that required emergency surgery. He missed the Lions' final 13 games including their playoff loss. Advertisement The Lions also have top defensive tackle Alim McNeill coming off a torn ACL in December, likely setting him up to miss the start to the 2025 season. Hendrickson, named an All-Pro last season, would give the Lions perhaps the most dangerous pairing of edge rushers in the NFL. Even though he's not the run stopper the Lions have prioritized under Holmes and coach Dan Campbell, Hendrickson's track record hunting the quarterback is top tier. He also played his first four seasons in New Orleans while Campbell was a Saints assistant, so the familiarity is there. We know Lions fans would love it: When asked in early March which big move they'd most like to see the Lions make this offseason, 42% of 3,111 responses said a Hendrickson trade. That was more than double the next most popular move. Why does Trey Hendrickson want to be traded? Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson reacts following penalty flags being thrown during the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Browns at Huntington Bank Field, Oct. 20, 2024 in Cleveland. Hendrickson wants a new contract with his current one set to expire after the 2025 season. Pro Bowl-caliber players do not like to risk playing on an expiring contract due to the high rate of injury, especially one like Hendrickson who turns 31 in December. In 2023, he signed a one-year extension with an $8 million signing bonus. Advertisement He requested a trade in the 2024 offseason while seeking a long-term deal, but the Bengals declined. He eventually played out the season, and now says the Bengals are not holding up their end of the bargain, so trust has been lost. Cincinnati, which sees itself as a Super Bowl contender, agreed to let him and his representatives seek out a trade, but clearly the compensation in return has not met the Bengals' asking price. They won't be getting a first-round pick for him, that is clear. Follow the Detroit Free Press on Instagram (@detroitfreepress), TikTok (@detroitfreepress), YouTube (@DetroitFreePress), X (@freep), and LinkedIn, and like us on Facebook (@detroitfreepress). Stay connected and stay informed. Become a Detroit Free Press subscriber. Advertisement Submit a letter to the editor at and we may publish it online or in print. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Trey Hendrickson trade offer to Lions picked as winning bid by ESPN
Newsweek
2 hours ago
- Newsweek
NFL Insider's Concerning Terry McLaurin Update
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Soon, the Washington Commanders will gather for mandatory minicamp, and they could be missing a major piece to their offense when that time comes. According to NFL Insider Jordan Schultz, the All-Pro receiver Terry McLaurin has "made it clear" to the Commanders' front office that he is frustrated with his current contract situation. When the Commanders held voluntary minicamp sessions, McLaurin was initially a part of the action. However, it was reported that he didn't stick around. According to Schultz, it "remains to be seen" whether he'll report for mandatory minicamp. Sources: #Commanders All-Pro WR Terry McLaurin has made it clear to the team that he's frustrated with the lack of progress on a long-term deal. As I previously reported, McLaurin unexpectedly left voluntary workouts after initially attending, and it remains to be seen whether… — Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) June 5, 2025 The Commanders announced back in April that the mandatory phase of OTAs will begin on June 10 and run for two days. So far, there doesn't seem to be a lot of panic coming out of Commander Land. Since Washington drafted McLaurin out of Ohio State in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft, he's been a priority for the organization. The latest DraftKings promo code offer gives new bettors a $200 bonus after any $5 wager on Terry McLaurin and the Commanders or the rival Eagles on Thursday Night Football. The latest DraftKings promo code offer gives new bettors a $200 bonus after any $5 wager on Terry McLaurin and the Commanders or the rival Eagles on Thursday Night his rookie season, McLaurin caught 58 passes for 919 yards and seven touchdowns in 14 games. Since then, he hasn't had a season under 1,000 yards. Last year, McLaurin caught 82 passes for 1,096 yards and a career-high 13 touchdowns. He was named an All-Pro for the first time in his career and earned his second Pro Bowl nod, two years after adding his first to his resume. For the first time last season, the Commanders managed to match McLaurin with their top-tier rookie quarterback, Jayden Daniels. The QB-WR duo proved to be a major threat to secondaries, as the Commanders' offense rolled through a successful season, shocking the league as they were initially thought to be in a transition period. Instead, the Commanders made the playoffs and made a run to the NFC Championship. In McLaurin's second playoff run, he appeared in all three games. The veteran wideout caught 14 passes for 227 yards and three touchdowns. Heading into the 2025 NFL season, McLaurin is set to play on the final year of his current deal. He's set to make $15.5 million for the season. In 2026, he could become a free agent, barring any changes on the extension front. With McLaurin potentially entering holdout territory this summer, the Commanders will have to begin picking up some steam on the extension front to avoid further complications with one of Jayden Daniels' top weapons. For the time being, Daniels seems comfortable with the situation, recently confirming that he maintains a "good relationship" with McLaurin. At the end of the day, business is business, and McLaurin is trying to take care of his.
