From Lorain to Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara, Calif., Arianna Horton has come a long way.
After graduating in 2017, her sports journalism journey took her across the country to the Pacific Northwest — Seattle.
As the Seahawks’ team writer, she covered their Super Bowl Championship season every step of the way.
Lorain grad, Seattle Seahawks reporter Arianna Horton after their Super Bowl LI victory celebration. (Edwin Hooper of the Seattle Seahawks)
While representing the franchise, Horton also represented her roots in the Steel City, as another bright light from the community.
“It is super important for people in Lorain to see other people go on and do good,” she said. “That is the thing that I keep coming back to, because a lot of times when Lorain gets brought up in conversations, there is always a negative outlook about what Lorain is and the type of people who come from Lorain and the products that Lorain produces. … I feel like it is not a fair outlook to be able to put everybody in a box and (say that) nobody good ever comes from Lorain.”
Although Lorain TV20 was established after Horton graduated, she always had a passion for sports.
Horton participated in the marching band and cheerleading and competed in cross country and track.
While watching Lorain football and basketball games, she noticed how sports brought people together. That sparked her sports passion.
“I really love sports, because of how it brought the community together. Especially growing up in somewhere like Lorain,” Horton said. “Sometimes, there are not a lot of positives going on, but sports always seems to be the one thing that brought everybody together and it was a positive for everybody, no matter what your background was.”
With graduation nearing and a full-ride to Ohio State, Horton was unsure what she wanted to pursue.
Her track coach Kelvin Jackson asked her what she would like to do if money was not a factor. Her response was sports.
“I said ‘work in sports and be able to talk to people,’” she said. “He showed me a few sports journalists. I think it was helpful that he showed me sports journalists that were black women, because as a black woman, I didn’t really see a lot of people who looked like me doing that job. For me, it was a light bulb that went off in my head.”
She studied communications with a goal to be a sports journalist and earned a Public Affairs Journalism degree.
At Ohio State, Horton wrote for the school newspaper The Lantern on numerous sports, including the swim team that won three national championships.
Horton’s goal was to not only excel at writing, but also broadcasting. Her next stop was Syracuse for 13 months.
She then landed an opportunity as a digital editorial intern.
“It is an NFL internship. I don’t know the next time I’d get an opportunity like this,” she said.
After the 2023-24 season, the Seahawks created a full-time position that was too good for her to pass up.
Horton’s job is unique because she has more access than most beat reporters.
She routinely eats in the cafeteria with players like Devon Witherspoon.
“There is a feeling of wanting to do right and good by the players because they are the reason why I have the job,” Horton said. “Without them, I would not be able to report or write about anything. … I cannot tell you how great this experience is.”
It opens up opportunities to get to know players. Because she went to Ohio State, Horton can relate to former Buckeye, Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
“The most important thing that I have to remind other people is that they are just humans,” she said. ”They are humans, but they have run a 4.3 and can catch the ball 60 yards down the field. They have a skillset that I do not have, but at the end of the day, they are still human and it is important to treat them like that.”
Not only does being a part of the team give her more access, it will also get her a Super Bowl championship ring.
Lorain grad, Seattle Seahawks reporter Arianna Horton during their Super Bowl Championship Parade. (Edwin Hooper of the Seattle Seahawks)
“It is so surreal,” Horton said. “As a journalist, you have to be unbiased, but it is a different experience when you are writing for the team. It is kind of hard to wrap my head around (me) being a part of this and I get a ring also. It is crazy.”
Following the Seahawks’ 29-13 victory over the New England Patriots, Horton reflected on her upbringing and was thankful for everyone in Lorain who impacted her life.
“There are people like Matthew Kielian, who helped me develop into an extroverted and social person, …” she said. “I think so much good has come from the relationships that I have had in Lorain, like Sheryl DiFranco was one of my teachers in high school. Miriam Engle was one of my teachers in elementary school. Then, there is my kindergarten teacher, Betsy Naveaux. All of these people have poured so much into me that I do not even know if there is ever a way that I could thank them for what they have done for me. I don’t think they understand the impact that they have had on me. I am immensely grateful for growing up in Lorain and having those people in my corner.”