RIP - Legendary NFL & ESPN reporter Chris Mortenson passed away this morning at the young age of 72.
- Thread starter DC_Dude
- Start date
legend in the NFL media game
RIP
RIP
Award-winning ESPN NFL reporter Chris Mortensen dies at 72
- ESPN
Chris Mortensen, an award-winning journalist who reported on the NFL for ESPN for more than three decades, died Sunday morning at the age of 72, his family announced Sunday.
Mortensen joined ESPN in 1991 and was a regular contributor to the network's NFL shows and "SportsCenter." He was a regular news breaker for ESPN, including the news in 106 that that Peyton Manning was retiring from the NFL.
In 2016, he received as Pro Football Writers of America's Dick McCann Award winner and was honored during the Pro Football Hall of Fame's enshrinement ceremony in August that year.
"Mort was widely respected as an industry pioneer and universally beloved as a supportive, hard-working teammate," Jimmy Pitaro, chairman of ESPN, 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."
Chris Mortensen, who began covering the NFL for ESPN in 1991, won several awards in his career, including the prestigious Dick McCann Award from the Pro Football Writers Association of America. Phil Ellsworth/ESPN Images
Mortensen, who was diagnosed with Stage 4 throat cancer in January 2016, stepped away from his role at ESPN last year "to focus on my health, family and faith."
"Mort helped set the journalism standard in the early days of ESPN. His credibility, attention to detail and reporting skills catapulted our news and information to a new level," Norby Williamson, executive editor and head of studio production for ESPN, said in a statement. "More importantly, he was a great teammate and human being. He personified care and respect for people which became the culture of ESPN."
Before coming to ESPN, he wrote for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (1983-90), covering the Falcons, Braves and the NFL, and won the George Polk Award in 1987 for his reporting. He also wrote for the sports daily "The National" (1989-90) and was one of the first writers hired by editor Frank Deford before coming to ESPN.
He also was a columnist for The Sporting News, a contributor to Sport magazine, and a consultant with CBS Sports' "NFL Today" (1990).
Mortensen, who began his journalist career at the South Bay (California) Daily Breeze in 1969, won the National Headliner Award for investigate reporting in all categories. He received 18 awards in journalism and was nominated for two Pulitzer Prizes in his career.
Mortensen, a native of Torrance, California, was born on Nov. 7, 1951. He attended El Camino College before serving two years in the Army.
He is survived by his wife Micki and son Alex.
Award-winning ESPN reporter Mortensen dies
Chris Mortensen, an award-winning journalist who reported on the NFL for ESPN for more than three decades, died Sunday morning at the age of 72.
Chris Mortensen, longtime ESPN NFL insider, dead at 72
Chris Mortensen, the longtime NFL insider for ESPN, died Sunday morning, the network announced.
nypost.com
Chris Mortensen dies at 72
Chris Mortensen, one of the original NFL insiders whose work informed millions of football fans for decades, has died at the age of 72.
www.nbcsports.com
People enjoy life.............. Retired and Dead a few months later. AFTER fighting Cancer 
RIP!
RIP!
RIP.
And still….the Orange Moron is still walking and breathing…
And still….the Orange Moron is still walking and breathing…
Fuck cancer.
On behalf of everyone, everywhere.
On behalf of everyone, everywhere.
RIP
RIP
RIP to Chris Mortensen!!..
If you make it past 77 you are an outlier. RIP man.
People enjoy life.............. Retired and Dead a few months later. AFTER fighting Cancer
RIP!
What's always stuck with me through life is to never take things for granted.
We don't know when the end will be.
My dad's uncle passed of a massive heart attack at 58yo. Heart disease runs on that side of the family. He always took care of himself. Exercised throughout life. Non-smoker. Only socially drank. Worked 40 years for the same company and passed 1 month into retirement in early-1997.
His older sister (my dad's late mother) always felt guilty. She never took care of herself ... never exercised ... ate like crap and survived a few heart attacks and strokes, and lived until 81. She would always tell him to SLOW down and smell the roses. He would remind her to take better care of herself (their father died of a heart attack at 50).
Pretty sobering for their family (now-late wife who passed of cancer in the early-2010s and only son) receiving his 1st pension check shortly after his death.
Then there's other members of the family who have lived until their early-90s.
My mom's boyfriend's mom is 104yo and in good health. Dealt with 2 bouts of COVID, etc. That baffled my mom (she lost her own mother in the 1950s from polio complications. My mom was 3yo, and her mom was 38 when she died).
Similar threads
