NFL reporter Chris Mortensen steps away from ESPN after more than three decades, cites health and family

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Longtime NFL broadcaster and journalist Chris Mortensen announced he stepped away from his role with ESPN earlier this year.

Mortensen had been with ESPN for more than three decades. He has battled esophageal cancer since 2016 and decided to leave his longtime job in April, shortly after the 2023 NFL Draft.

Mortensen cited the need to prioritize his health and his family when he shared his decision in a social media post Tuesday.

"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 wrote in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

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Analyst Chris Mortensen watches action prior to an Alliance of American Football game between the Birmingham Iron and the Salt Lake Stallions at Legion Field Feb. 16, 2019, in Birmingham, Ala. (Kevin C. Cox/AAF/Getty Images)

Mortensen was ESPN's original NFL "insider." Throughout his 33-year career at ESPN, Mortensen frequently appeared on a variety of the network's programs, including "Sunday NFL Countdown" and "SportsCenter." 

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The California native's career began in 1969, when he joined the South Bay Daily Breeze newspaper in Hermosa Beach, California.

"The gratitude and humility is overwhelming. It’s not a classic retirement. I’ll still be here talking ball. It’s just time. God Bless you all," Mortensen wrote in a social media post.

Mortensen is credited with helping pioneer the job of a sports news breaker who had the ability to bring reporting and analysis