TCU has ended its 12-day ban on the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, restoring the paper’s credentials to cover Horned Frog athletics after a dispute tied to reporting on an Aug. 13 locker room assault.
“Today, TCU Athletics fully restored media credentials to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram,” TCU Athletics posted on its X account. “In a series of productive discussions, we made clear our position and resolved to move forward. We respect their role as an independent news source and voice in our community, and we look forward to the season ahead.”
The move gives the Star-Telegram full access again to the press box, locker room, news conferences and media workrooms. That access will be in place for TCU’s home opener against Grambling State on Sept. 12, when beat writer Steven Johnson and other Star-Telegram reporters and a photographer are set to cover the game.
The newspaper had been barred during TCU’s season-opening 15-10 loss to North Carolina in Dublin. Even without credentials, the Star-Telegram still sent Johnson to Ireland, where he reported on the large group of Horned Frogs fans who traveled for the game and attended a pep rally. Johnson later bought a ticket and covered the matchup from the stands.
The conflict started Aug. 18, when a program spokesman announced that senior safety Jacob Fields had been dismissed “due to a violation of team rules.” Later that day, Johnson reported that Fields was dismissed after a physical altercation in the locker room.
TCU pushed back on the account from a source close to Fields in that story.
Then on Aug. 30, the day after the North Carolina game, Fields turned himself in and was booked in the Tarrant County Jail on a charge of aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury. He was released that day after posting $50,000 bond.
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