Jesse Newell to cover Kansas City Chiefs beat for The Star. Here’s a bit more about him

The Kansas City Star has promoted award-winning sports journalist Jesse Newell to cover the Kansas City Chiefs.

Newell will bring the eye for analysis that he’s employed on the Kansas Jayhawks beat to coverage of KC’s NFL team alongside fellow Chiefs beat writer Herbie Teope for The Star and its sister publication, The Eagle in Wichita.

Newell and fellow Jayhawks beat writer Gary Bedore recently chronicled KU’s NCAA Tournament run to the national championship in men’s basketball. He has also helped cover this year’s Chiefs playoff run, the run-up to the 2020 elections and the Royals.

Newell, 38, is a previous winner of the Associated Press Sports Editors’ top beat writer award whose work has also been recognized multiple times with United States Basketball Writers Association awards.

“In everything he covers, Jesse finds critical details others often miss,” said Star and Eagle sports editor Jeff Rosen. “And then he’s able to explain to us in simple terms why those details matter.

“It’s going to be fun to see what he does when he’s zeroed in on the perennial Super Bowl contenders at Arrowhead Stadium.”

Hired by The Star in 2016, Newell is the co-author, with former Star writer Jason King, of “Beyond the Phog,” an inside look at former KU basketball players. A graduate of KU’s William White School of Journalism, Newell has previously worked at the Topeka Capital Journal, Lawrence Journal-World and Emporia Gazette.

He will begin his new role covering the Chiefs this week. The team is scheduled to hold its annual rookie minicamp this weekend.

You can follow Newell on Twitter at twitter.com/jessenewell.