Sportswriter Peter King ends longtime NFL column

Feb. 26 (UPI) — Veteran sportswriter Peter King will retire from penning his longtime “Football Morning in America” column after 27 years, he announced Monday in the final edition of his work.

King, 66, published the last column, titled: “It’s Time. Who’s Complaining? Not me,” Monday morning on the NBC Sports website.

“I’m retiring*. I use an asterisk because I truly don’t know what the future holds for me,” King wrote. “I probably will work at something, but as I write this, I have no idea what it will be.

“Maybe it will be something in the media world, but just not ‘Football Morning in America’ (nee ‘Monday Morning Quarterback’).”

King, who started in 1980 at the Cincinnati Enquirer, worked from 1989 to 2018 at Sports Illustrated, where he wrote his “Monday Morning Quarterback” column. He ended that 29-year employment to join NBC Sports full time in 2018.

King attended 40 consecutive Super Bowls, including Super Bowl LVIII on Feb. 11 in Las Vegas. He cited deteriorating desire in daily coverage of the league, as well as wanting to spend more time with family and other interests as reasons for stepping away.

King also thanked his readers, colleagues and others for their support. He said he plans to share letters from fans — in place of his opinions — in next week’s column.

The veteran journalist also used his column to share some NFL insight. He said he thinks the Chicago Bears will trade away the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft and keep quarterback Justin Fields, instead of selecting a rookie passer to start the event.

He also shared his thoughts on Tom Brady’s broadcasting career, Jason Kelce’s potential retirement and the future of quarterbacks Justin Herbert and Jalen Hurts.