Free Press’ Dave Birkett named Michigan sports writer of the year — again

Almost everyone loosely related to the Detroit Lions seems to be winning these days.

Dave Birkett, the longtime Lions beat writer for the Detroit Free Press, was named the Michigan sports writer of the year by the National Sports Media Association on Tuesday.

It’s the fourth time the honor has been bestowed upon Birkett, who also won in 2013, 2016 and 2019.

The Athletic’s Brendan Quinn (last year’s winner) and Colton Pouncey, ESPN’s Eric Woodyard and the Free Press’ Helene St. James and Mick McCabe were the other finalists.

Birkett joined the Free Press just before the 2010 NFL season to cover the Lions, and has been the leading reporter and voice on the Honolulu blue and silver ever since. He is also a Pro Football Hall of Fame voter and has won several honors from the Associated Press on both the state and national levels.

MORE FROM BIRKETT: With Lions season on the line, Dan Campbell trusted Jared Goff to deliver & he did

Before joining the Free Press, the MSU alumnus covered the Lions, Michigan and Michigan State for the Oakland Press and annarbor.com.

The Free Press has won the NSMA award 34 times since its debut in 1959. The other winners: Joe Falls (nine times), Mitch Albom (seven times and a 2013 Hall of Fame inductee), Birkett (four times), McCabe (two times) Mike Downey (two times), Lyall Smith (1959), Jack Saylor (1970), Charlie Vincent (1998), Jo-Ann Barnas (2005), Michael Rosenberg (shared with McCabe in 2010), Mark Snyder (2011), John Lowe (2012), Seidel (2014), Joe Rexrode (2015), St. James (2017) and Ryan Ford (shared with The Athletic’s James Edwards II in 2021).

Fox 2 reporter/anchor Jennifer Hammond was named Michigan sports broadcaster of the year. “The Hammer” joins a list headed by Ernie Harwell (19-time winner), Jamie Samuelsen, Dan Miller and Dan Dickerson (last year’s winner). She is the first woman to be named the state’s top sports broadcaster by NSMA.