Alex Zietlow is a sports reporter for McClatchy, covering the Carolina Panthers and the ways in which sports intersect with life. He has been a reporter at The Charlotte Observer since August 2022 and has six years of experience in journalism.

Alex graduated with a BA in Journalism and a BA in Political Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His work has been honored by the Pro Football Writers Association, the North Carolina and South Carolina Press Associations, and the Associated Press Sports Editors (APSE) group. He has earned six APSE Top 10 distinctions for his coverage of topics ranging from billion-dollar stadium renovations to the small moments of triumph that helped a Panthers kicker defy the steepest odds in sports.

Before joining The Charlotte Observer, Alex wrote for The Herald in Rock Hill, South Carolina, from 2019 to 2022.