Followers of the NFL have long relied on Jim Trotter for his dogged reporting and astute insights. Trotter joined SPORTS ILLUSTRATED as a senior writer in Sept. 2007. Before SI, he covered the San Diego Chargers for the San Diego Union-Tribune for more than a decade, moving up from high schools to becoming the paper's national NFL writer. The Chargers did not post a winning record or reach the playoffs in Trotter's first eight seasons covering the team, prompting him to wonder if he had angered the football gods. Trotter spent nearly 18 years at the Union-Tribune.

Trotter cited his 2007 SI story on the death of Sean Taylor as the most memorable of his SI career. "It allowed us to examine his life and growth beyond the stereotypes that had been associated with him," says Trotter.

Born in San Francisco, CA, Trotter graduated from Howard University in 1986 with a degree in communications. In addition to his SI duties, Trotter is a contributor to ESPN's First Take, the NBC San Diego affiliate and numerous radio shows across the country.

Trotter and his wife, Alicia, reside in San Diego with daughters Tayler and Tarah.

EXTRA POINTS

• Favorite SI Vault piece: Tyson the Terrible, Tyson the Timid (March 21, 1988). "I remember putting that story down and going, wow. I not only learned a lot about Tyson, but marveled at Gary Smith's writing. The detail remains with me today."
• Favorite book: Ralph Wiley's Why Black People Tend to Shout and Theodore Berstein's Watch Your Language.
• Writers Who Have Inspired Me: "Gary Smith (great detail), Ralph Wiley (tremendous perspective), Jason Whitlock (fearlessness to confront controversial issues) and Jim Murray (simplicity combined with elegance)."
• Hobbies: "Gardening, politics and golf."

Updated 21 October 2009