TCU has revoked the credentials of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and beat reporter Steven Johnson in the wake of the newspaper’s coverage of an alleged locker room assault that led to a case filing with TCU Police.
Johnson said he was told the decision was tied to concerns that the alleged victim received threats after the story ran. He has said his original reporting did not name the alleged victim, and that the individual later identified himself publicly in an Instagram post several days after the first report was published.
The timing has made the move especially notable. TCU is only days away from opening against North Carolina in Ireland, and the Star-Telegram is the only full-time outlet devoted to covering Horned Frogs athletics on a daily basis.
Johnson said on social media that even though TCU pulled his credential for the game, he still intends to travel to Ireland and cover the team.
The decision has also sparked broader questions about how athletic departments handle media access when reporting turns to issues off the field. Universities and athletic departments control credentials, but pulling access from a reporter covering a major developing story is likely to invite scrutiny over transparency and the place of independent journalism in college athletics.
For now, the situation is still unsettled. It is not clear whether the credential revocation will last beyond TCU’s season opener or whether the university and the Star-Telegram will continue discussions in the coming weeks.
For TCU, it adds an unwanted off-field distraction as the program gets ready for the 2026 season. For the Big 12, it’s a significant development involving one of the conference’s flagship programs and the newspaper that has long served as its primary beat presence.
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