BREAKING: Legendary ESPN NFL Reporter Chris Mortensen dead at 72

Chris Mortensen, the longtime NFL insider for ESPN, died Sunday morning, the network announced. “Mort was widely respected as an industry pioneer and universally beloved as a supportive, hard-working teammate,” ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro said in a social media statement.

In 2016, Mortensen announced he was diagnosed with Stage 4 throat cancer. Mortensen wrote on X in September that he made the decision to focus on his health, family, and faith.

Mortensen joined ESPN in 1991 and was a regular contributor to the network’s NFL shows and “SportsCenter.” For many years, Mortensen was among the most influential members of the NFL media, and he’ll be remembered by colleagues and viewers for his extraordinary impact in his field.