Who made the biggest impact in their area of the sports world in 2022?
We posed this question to our U.S.-based writers and editors who cover 12 different sports, as well as culture, business and media, to find our Sportspersons of the Year across the American sports landscape.
The guidelines allowed for a flexible interpretation of “impact.” Some were selected for their on-field achievements, others for weightier off-field concerns. Two of the selections are entire groups of people. One we still haven’t picked yet, as of this writing, with the U.S. men still going in the World Cup.
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We’ll unveil our selections one at a time, each weekday between now and Dec. 22. First up is sports culture, which chose Deion Sanders, the head football coach at Jackson State (at least for now), who is elevating the profile of Historically Black Colleges and Universities in a style all his own. The Athletic’s Jason Jones has the story of how Sanders brought “Prime Time” to the sideline.
Next up is our NASCAR Person of the Year, to be revealed Monday. The full schedule is below.
By Jason Jones
Monday, Dec. 5: NASCAR
Tuesday, Dec. 6: NHL
Thursday, Dec. 8: Men’s college basketball
Friday, Dec. 9: Sports business
Monday, Dec. 12: Women’s college basketball
Tuesday, Dec. 13: Golf
Wednesday, Dec. 14: College football
Thursday, Dec. 15: Women’s soccer
Friday, Dec. 16: Sports media
Monday, Dec. 19: MLB
Tuesday, Dec. 20: NBA
Wednesday, Dec. 21: Men’s soccer
Thursday, Dec. 22: NFL
(Illustration: Sean Reilly / The Athletic)
The Athletic’s Sportspersons of the Year: Athletes and coaches who defined 2022
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