John Dixon was one of the best, most genuine people I’ve ever had the privilege of working with. Not only did he make me a better journalist, but he also found ways to inspire me as a person, even if he didn’t realize it.
I once made a mistake transcribing a practice quote for an article during the 2025 Chiefs playoff run. It wasn’t huge, but it was enough to change the meaning of the original quote. Luckily, John’s eagle-eye for editing caught it, fixed it, and then reached out to let me know. When I thanked him, he simply replied, “Don’t worry, we’re all in this together.”
For some reason, that stuck with me. At the time, I was also coaching a high school basketball team that went on to win our city’s Division II championship. The phrase “We’re all in this together” became our playoff rallying cry for the team.
John’s attention to detail was incredible, but what I hope he realized is that those small interactions are what made the biggest impact on a lot of people. I’ll always be grateful for the time I had with him at AP, and I hope his legacy continues to live on forever.