T.J. Simers T.J. Simers, the longtime LA Times sports columnist, has died at 73.
ESPNNewspapersBy Arthur Weinstein on

T.J. Simers, the former Los Angeles Times sports columnist who later won a massive and highly publicized age discrimination suit against the paper, has died at age 73.

Boxing Scene reporter Lance Pugmire reported the news. Simers had been dealing with a brain tumor.

“Just informed by my longtime @latimes Sports Editor Bill Dwyre that our legendary columnist T.J. Simers has just died,” Pugmire posted on X. “RIP, T.J., thank you for all you did to lift me up and love and prayers to your beautiful family, my dear friend!”

Simers joined the Times in 1990 and became one of the highest profile sports columnists in the country, known for his almost trolling style of interviewing and writing that irritated many athletes and coaches. But he parlayed that work into journalism awards and a role with ESPN. He appeared on the debut episode of Around the Horn in 2002.


After Simers made some negative remarks about ATH a year later — he claimed he was embarrassed to be on it — ESPN dropped him from the show.

The LA Times fired Simers in 2013, but he sued the newspaper for age discrimination and won a $7.1 million settlement. The newspaper appealed, only to have Simers win a $15.4 million judgement in the appeal process.

Simers’ peers and fans remembered him upon hearing news of his passing.


[Lance Pugmire]

About Arthur Weinstein

Arthur spends his free time traveling around the U.S. to sporting events, state and national parks, and in search of great restaurants off the beaten path.

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