Steve Popper named The Record and NorthJersey.com's lead sports columnist

Steve Popper has been named The Record and NorthJersey.com’s new lead sports columnist. He will move into his new role Feb. 11.

Popper has been a sports writer and columnist at The Record and NorthJersey.com since 2004, most recently serving as the New York Knicks beat writer and NBA columnist. Before taking up the Knicks beat and NBA coverage, he spent seven seasons covering the New York Mets and writing columns on Major League Baseball, college sports and national sports topics.

“I started writing columns not long after I started in the business, starting with high school sports and then moving on to the NBA and an assortment of other topics,” said Popper, who is an alumnus of Monmouth University. “But more than just learning how to write a column over the years, I learned as a reporter, developing sources and understanding context, all things that are necessary to have the voice to be a columnist.”

Tara Sullivan, who previously served as The Record and NorthJersey.com’s lead sports columnist, accepted a columnist position at The Boston Globe in late 2017.

Rick Green, editor and vice-president of content for NorthJersey.com and The Record, said the organization conducted a national search for Sullivan’s replacement.

“We had great conversations with some outstanding writers and columnists around the country,” he said. “But we discovered best possible candidate already was in our newsroom, and I couldn’t be happier that Steve is assuming this important position. He brings experience, depth, digital acumen and a flair to his writing and reporting – the same qualities that North Jersey fans expect of a sports columnist who will weigh-in on everything from high school athletes to the Super Bowl and World Series. I’ve been a big Steve Popper fan since arriving here 18 months ago, and I know he will take our sports coverage to new heights.”

Popper’s role as Knicks beat writer will be succeeded by Chris Iseman, who was previously a local sports reporter at The Record and NorthJersey.com.

Popper, who has been recognized twice as one of the top 10 writers in the country by the Associated Press Sports Editors, began his career in sports writing at the Asbury Park Press, covering local high schools before moving on to NBA coverage. He later moved to the New York Post to cover the Knicks for two years, writing about the team and the NBA at-large.

Following his time at the New York Post, Popper spent eight years at The New York Times as a general assignment sports writer.

Popper is a 20-year resident of Freehold, N.J., where he lives with his son, Colin.