ESPN NFL reporter Chris Mortensen dead at 72

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Chris Mortensen, the legendary ESPN NFL reporter, died Sunday morning, the network announced. He was 72. 

"Mort was widely respected as an industry pioneer and universally beloved as a supportive, hard-working teammate," ESPN Chair Jimmy Pitaro said in a statement. "He covered the NFL with extraordinary skill and passion, and was at the top of his field for decades. He will truly be missed by colleagues and fans, and our hearts and thoughts are with his loved ones."

Mortensen stepped away from his longtime role with ESPN after the 2023 NFL Draft, announcing that he needed to prioritize his health and family. 

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NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, right, is shown on the ESPN set with Chris Mortensen at FedEx Field in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 11, 2006. (Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images)

"Excited about another season but it’s time to reveal after my 33rd NFL draft in April, I made a decision to step away from ESPN and focus on my health, family and faith," Mortensen tweeted in September 2023.

On Jan. 15, 2016, Mortensen revealed via an ESPN statement that he was diagnosed with Stage 4 throat cancer, which led to a leave of absence.

NFL REPORTER CHRIS MORTENSEN STEPS AWAY FROM ESPN AFTER MORE THAN 3 DECADES, CITES HEALTH AND FAMILY

Lauded as the worldwide leader’s original NFL insider, Mortensen spent almost all of his journalism career at ESPN, joining their ranks in 1991 when he reported for "NFL GameDay," which eventually became today’s "Sunday NFL Countdown." He was also featured on "Outside The Lines" and served as an analyst for the NFL Draft.

Mortensen’s journalism career began at the