TAMPA, Fla. – The Florida sports world is a little quieter this week following the loss of one of its most tireless storytellers. Joey Knight, a veteran reporter for the Tampa Bay Times whose byline became a staple for football fans across the state, passed away on Friday after a long battle with cancer. He was 54.
A fourth-generation Floridian with deep roots in the local soil, Knight spent decades patrolling the sidelines of everything from Friday night high school matchups to the high-stakes atmosphere of Raymond James Stadium. While he was perhaps best known for his exhaustive coverage of the USF Bulls, his reach extended to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Florida Gators, and virtually every corner of the regional sports scene.
What set Knight apart wasn’t just the volume of his work, but his refusal to step away from it. Even as his health declined, his commitment to the beat remained unshakable. Fans and colleagues noted that he was still filing detailed reports on coaching changes and transfer portal updates as recently as late January. For Knight, the news cycle didn’t stop for a diagnosis, and he seemed determined to keep pace with it until the very end.
In the wake of the news, the sports community responded with an outpouring of grief that skipped over his professional accolades to focus on his character.
Matt Baker, a longtime colleague at the Times, described Knight as “ego-free,” a rare trait in the high-pressure world of sports journalism.
“Joey treated everyone with respect and courtesy. He rarely, if ever, had a bad word to say about anyone, which is why I don’t know anyone who had a bad word to say about him. He was not an all-conference human being. He was an ALL-AMERICAN human being,” Baker wrote on X.
USF Athletics Director Rob Higgins echoed this, noting that while Knight was an exceptionally talented writer, he was an even better human being.
“Heartbroken over the news of the passing of @TBTimes_Bulls,” wrote Higgins. “Joey was a talented writer and even better person. He took tremendous pride in his coverage of Team Tampa Bay & @USFAthletics. I especially loved his long form writing on helping introduce new members of our sports community to our area and also his stellar coverage of so many tremendous human interest stories, including our local prep scene. His work was beyond meaningful and impactful. We are forever grateful. USF Athletics will plan to honor his lasting legacy starting with today’s home events. Rest in peace, my friend.”
Those who worked alongside him in cramped press boxes and on humid practice fields remembered him as more than a competitor.
They recalled a mentor who was quick to offer advice to younger writers, a man of steady faith, and a devoted family man. Some chuckled at his unapologetic love of ’80s hard rock—a passion that often served as the soundtrack to his long drives between assignments.
“Incredibly sad indeed. Joey was one of the “good guys” in the media. Nice and friendly to everyone. Really good reporter. Loved 80s hair metal, too. We were blessed to get a chance to know him through his Bucs coverage with The Times,” the PewterReport wrote on X.
Knight’s passing leaves a significant void in Tampa Bay’s media landscape. He leaves behind a legacy of old-school shoe-leather reporting and a reputation for fairness that earned him the respect of the coaches he covered and the peers he outworked.
READ: USF’s Izaiyah Nelson Made Sure The Bulls Were “Ready To Work And Grind”
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