If you've followed the Atlanta Braves at all in the last two decades, it would be hard for you not to come across the name David O'Brien. The beat writer started on the Braves beat back in 2002 with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution after previously working for the Florida Marlins. He worked for the AJC for 16 years before moving to The Athletic in 2018, but continued covering the Braves full-time.
O'Brien recently raised eyebrows on social media when he announced that he had moved to California full-time, as some wondered whether he'd continue covering the Braves. After a week of not addressing fans' questions, DOB confirmed on New Year's Eve that he was retiring from the Braves beat. In total, O'Brien spent 41 years reporting.
It's here, entirely my choice. I'm retiring. Appreciated every day of 41 years I've been paid to do what I loved -- writing, covering sports. Without y'all, it wouldn't have been possible. So, thanks from the bottom of my cantankerous heart. Your passion is admirable, beautiful.
— David O'Brien (@DOBrienATL) December 31, 2025
David O'Brien retires from Atlanta Braves beat reporting
O'Brien has been a prominent figure in Braves media for the last 20 plus years, but he hasn't necessarily been a fan favorite. The most memorable O'Brien reporting moment came in 2009, when he reported that legendary outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. was signing with the Braves. Griffey, of course, did not sign with the Braves, and returned to Seattle instead.
Some blamed O'Brien's jumping of the gun for why Griffey did not sign with Atlanta, and Braves players were not happy, especially Tim Hudson, who reportedly confronted O'Brien over the reports.
O'Brien has since addressed the mini-scandal, stating that he never wrote the actual headline, that another reporter never took their share of the blame, and that he was the one who took all of the heat for the incident.
In 2023, former Braves catcher A.J. Pierzynski stated that the real reason Griffey didn't sign with the Braves was likely because of Bobby Cox's rule of keeping kids out of the clubhouse, meaning the reputation hit O'Brien took was likely for naught.
Overall, O'Brien's reporting split the fan base, with some being fond of the writer, and others having strong destain for him. Regardless of how you feel about DOB, the fact remains that the sportswriter worked in a demanding profession, requiring availability around the clock in a rather thankless position, and managed to do it for 41 years.
Sportswriters, like athletes, don't always get to exit on their own terms, regardless how great they were in their prime. Journalists in a digital media landscape have had an even harder time getting to choose when to call it quits. O'Brien was able to buck this trend.
We're wishing O'Brien well in retirement. Appreciate you, good sir.