This is not goodbye

In January of 2016, I received a message from the bald-headed maestro of The Phinsider, Kevin Nogle.

“Would you like to be a front page writer?”

Um, YES.

414 articles later (415 including this one), not to mention the dozens of FanPosts I wrote before becoming part of the full-time team and the three seasons of podcasts with Josh Houtz and Matthew Cannata after I joined it — it’s time to step away from the site.

On this adventure, I’ll be watching my four young children grow, take on more work in my personal life (both at my day job and at Pro Football Network), and half-drunkenly yell obscenities while watching Dolphins football every Sunday (it doesn’t seem to matter if we’re winning or losing, there will be yelling).

I’ll still be interacting with Phinsider articles and making fun of Houtz’s facial hair on a regular basis. I’ll probably grab a beer with Kat Noa again at some point. The Phinsider will always be a stage in my life that brought me joy, and I have all of you to thank for that.

I’ve been a member of the Phinsider community since 2012, and it would be disingenuous to try and list every person who had an impact on me. I know I’d forget someone, there’s just so many — the list is longer than Ryan Fitzpatrick’s beard, longer than John Denney’s career with the Dolphins (yes, I’m crying now too, I’m sorry, I didn’t think I’d go there).

I want to especially thank Kevin and James for the opportunity, and the belief in me. For everyone who commented on one of my articles and took time out of your busy lives to give me feedback or share your opinion or just tell me to SHUT UP I’M STUPID, I can’t thank you enough. I wouldn’t be where I am today without the confidence that flourished while working here — and the confidence is a direct result of the time and energy you invested in me and my work.

Take care y’all, please know I’m eternally grateful for you. I don’t know if you’ll commend me or call child abuse for brainwashing four little humans to be Miami Dolphins fans, but please know that I’ll take this experience with me until I’m 6 feet under and I love sharing my experience here with random people at the grocery store who don’t know me.

I look forward to heckling all the new writers and being laughably cynical with a side of jaded with the rest of you.

Love. And thank you.