NFL Reporter Chris Mortensen Passes Away
Chris Mortensen announced his retirement in the middle of last year. A handful of months later, he’s gone. The legendary NFL reporter has passed away at the age of 72.
A lot of people paid their respects. Most notably ESPN who employed Mortensen for a number of years. ESPN put out this press release talking about Mort.
“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.”
“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.”
Mort was the reporter that predates social media. You got the best and only source of NFL news through SportsCenter. I can still recall Chris Berman and Mort going back and fourth trying to give us the best possible information on the sport we all love.
Mort was battling cancer so it’s not super surprising he passed so soon after his retirement. He was in rough shape during his last few years at ESPN. Still, he was a legend in the game and deserves all the respect imaginable. RIP Mort and best wishes to his family and loved ones.
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