Ian Rapoport’s normal day sounds exhausting

Whatever NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport is doing to keep his mental energy up, we’d love to know about it.

The hard-working NFL reporter has previously shared what it’s like to work during the most grueling times of the year, including free agency and the combine, but readers have often wondered what a “normal” day is like for insiders like him.

“During free agency and crazy times, it’s different. But during regular-season days, I usually get up around 5:30 to do “Good Morning Football” (which I do 3 days a week),” Rapoport told NY Post reporter Andrew Marchand. “I’m on TV at 7, 8 and 9, tops of the hour. Between that time, I give my boys breakfast (7) and bike with them to school (8), and then start my day. I’m on the phone all day talking to sources from my office in my basement and usually ready for TV in case something breaks. We do our news show midday for a few hours and then have “Total Access” at 7. In there somewhere, I jump on the Peloton and deal with news as it comes. Before 7 p.m., we’ll have dinner as a family, and there are always kids sports to go to, which can be between like 4 and 6. Sometimes I’m on the phone, but I’m always there. My day usually ends at 7:30 p.m., but you never know, so I always stay ready for TV until probably 9. Bed at 10:30, then restart.”

And that’s just a ho-hum regular day, not one during the time of year when it’s a constant flurry of news, transactions, and trades.

“Free agency is the craziest,” Rapoport told Jimmy Traina in May. “You gear up for it and you get ready. You try to get prepared. I’ll go to bed Saturday night being like alright there’s a chance I’m gonna sleep four hours a night maybe for the next six nights, and that’s usually what happens. Because you wake up Sunday and there’s important things that you’re waiting on but then there’s also trades.”

The NFL insider recently talked about how he tries to take care of his mental health, but it doesn’t sound easy, especially when he never turns his phone off.

“People always ask me, ‘When do you turn your phone off?’ I never turn my phone off,” Rapoport said. “If someone sends me a message, I will always see it. And the reason is, it makes me much more anxious to not know. The thought of turning off my phone and being like, ‘Well, anything can be happening now.’ I don’t like that.”

Here’s to hoping Ian can take a vacation or at least a weekend getaway one of these days.

[NY Post]