Officially official, after we hinted at this a while back:

This is a big get for The Athletic. Humongous. They poached a Philadelphia Inquirer Eagles writer who also happens to be the local representative for the Pro Football Writers of America. Add Zach to the Sheil Kapadia and Bo Wulf duo, and that’s a very strong group right there.

Berman’s departure leaves the Inquirer/Daily News with only 47 Eagles writers, so I wonder where they’ll go from here.

Just kidding!

They are down to three full time Birds writers (McLane, Domo, Bowen), plus the four columnists who regularly attend practices and games, so I think they’ll be able to get by with seven writers instead of eight, but what do I know?

As you know by now, the Inky/Daily News is going through another round of buyouts and layoffs. Longtime writers John Smallwood, Sam Donnellon, and Rick O’Brien are taking buyouts. I’m curious as to whether The Athletic approached Berman or if it was the other way around.