One of the best sports writers of his time died on Thursday. John Feinstein was 69.
Tributes quickly poured in from across those in sports media, with Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon eulogizing the longtime Washington Post columnist on Pardon the Interruption. The Atlantic 10 Conference honored Feinstein by leaving a press row seat empty in his memory.
But perhaps the most poignant tribute came from former Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski.
“John was brilliant. He was one of the best writers for sports of all time,” an emotional Krzyzewski relayed to ESPN’s Pete Thamel. “We were great friends. I loved John. But I knew he was polarizing. You loved him or hated him. He understood that. He handled it well… He is that because he was so damn talented. You don’t become polarizing if you’re mediocre.”
Perhaps that’s why he and the winningest coach in men’s college basketball history formed such a unique bond.
“We had a really great relationship,” Krzyzewski continued. “He would always call me ‘Captain.’ That’s because when I left the military, I was a captain. Whenever he would say Captain, it was putting me in that place. You’re not this Coach K (big-timer). And whatever we talked about. It was at that level.
“Captain. No one has ever called me captain my whole life except John.”
That personal touch was part of what set Feinstein apart. He wasn’t just a writer — he had a way of capturing the essence of those he covered, whether it was through praise or unflinching honesty. And few knew that better than Bobby Knight, his 1985-86 Indiana Hoosiers, the subject of “A Season on the Brink.”
“That was an early time in my career — I didn’t know what the hell I was doing,” Krzyzewski added. “I just told (Knight) — John is my friend, and he’s one of the greatest writers ever. If you agree to this, he’s going to write an amazing book. I don’t know what that means. I think Coach Knight had some problems with it. At the end of the day, (John) portrayed him the right way.
“I think the people who read that book understand Coach Knight as a result of that book. John was incredibly good.”
Spoke to an emotional Mike Krzyzewski today on the death of John Feinstein, who he called “one of the best writers for sports of all time.” pic.twitter.com/FCBVWwD2Dp
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) March 14, 2025
That, he was.
John Feinstein didn’t just cover sports; he had the ability to shape how we saw them. His words brought readers into the locker rooms, the film session and the very minds of the coaches and athletes he chronicled.
As Krzyzewski put it, he was polarizing because he was that good.
For Coach K, he wasn’t just a journalist — he was a friend. And for generations of readers, he was one of the best to ever do it. His voice may be gone, but his influence on sportswriting and storytelling will never fade.
