TCU football revokes Fort Worth Star-Telegram credentials over locker room assault reporting
TCU athletic director Mike Buddie says the paper's reporting endangered a student-athlete, while the Star-Telegram says the player identified himself in a now-deleted social media post.
TCU Horned Frogs football has revoked media credentials from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the local newspaper that covers the team, following its reporting on a locker room assault that led to a player's dismissal. The decision comes days before TCU opens its season against North Carolina in Dublin, Ireland, and has drawn criticism from press freedom advocates who say the punishment targets legitimate journalism.
The Star-Telegram recently reported that senior safety Jacob Fields was dismissed from the team after allegedly assaulting wide receiver Dozie Ezukanma. The initial report did not identify Ezukanma by name, but the receiver later posted a now-deleted Instagram video acknowledging he was the player involved. TCU athletic director Mike Buddie said the credential was withheld because of the health and wellbeing of student-athletes, citing an unnamed source who provided what he called inaccurate information.
«Our primary focus is the health and wellbeing of our student athlete,» Buddie said in a statement. «Unfortunately, an unnamed source without first-hand knowledge of the incident provided inaccurate information cited in initial reporting by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, which we strongly disputed. The inclusion of the misinformation advanced a narrative that endangered a student-athlete and resulted in threats to him and his family.»
Buddie said the decision to withhold the credential would remain until additional conversation can be held between athletics and the sports reporting team. He added that the department remains dedicated to restoring the student to health and focusing on the game ahead. The Star-Telegram's TCU reporter, Steven Johnson, is still traveling to Dublin to cover Saturday's game but will not have access to the press box.
The paper has not been told what it must do to regain its credential, according to reports. The situation has drawn attention because TCU's home stadium, Amon G. Carter Stadium, is named after the founder and publisher of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, a fact that has not been lost on observers following the dispute.
Critics of the decision note that Ezukanma identified himself publicly, which undercuts the university's claim that the paper endangered a student-athlete. The more likely explanation, they argue, is that TCU disliked a negative story about its locker room that reflected poorly on head coach Sonny Dykes and chose to punish the outlet. The Horned Frogs are coming off a 9-4 season in 2025 and are considered contenders in a wide-open Big 12 Conference.
Press freedom organizations have long argued that universities should not retaliate against news organizations for reporting on matters of public interest, particularly when the information involves player conduct and team discipline. The case also raises questions about the relationship between college athletic departments and the local media that cover them, a dynamic that has grown increasingly strained in recent years as schools seek greater control over their narratives.
Whether the Star-Telegram will regain its credentials in time to report on Saturday's game remains unclear. The paper has indicated it will continue covering the team regardless of its access, but the loss of press-box privileges limits its ability to conduct interviews and observe games from the field level. For now, the dispute highlights the tension between transparency and institutional control in college sports.
