(DailyAnswer.org) – ESPN NFL reporter Chris Mortensen has died at the age of 72. He died on March 3, six months after retiring from the network. Mortensen spent 32 years at ESPN and went on temporary leave in 2016 after being diagnosed with stage 4 throat cancer.
Mortensen returned to the network later in the year and announced there was almost no trace of the cancer. He said he was excited about another season but that he had to reveal his retirement on September 5, 2023. On stepping down from his role, Mortensen stated that he wanted to prioritize his health, his family, and his faith.
ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro described Mortensen as an “industry pioneer.” Noting the reporter’s enthusiasm and “extraordinary skill,” Pitaro commented that Mortensen led his field for decades. ESPN’s current lead NFL reporter, Adam Schefter, stated on X that Mortensen will always be remembered and that his death marked a “tragic day.” NFL commissioner Roger Goodell expressed his admiration for how hard Mortensen worked to become such a revered and influential reporter in sport.
Mortensen, known fondly as “Mort,” won 18 awards for journalism. He also received two Pulitzer Prize nominations for his work covering the NFL. Mortensen spent the vast majority of his career in journalism at ESPN after joining the network in 1991. He began his career in journalism at the Daily Breeze in his hometown of Torrance, California. Focusing on sport, he then worked at the National, where he covered the NFL for two years before joining ESPN.
Mortensen is survived by his wife, Micki, and their son Alex. He was widely loved by NFL fans and colleagues. Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning commented on the presenter’s death, stating that he had trusted Mortensen to break the news of his signing with the Broncos and his eventual retirement. Manning said he valued Mortensen as a friend and that he was the best in the business.
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