An NFL broadcasting icon has decided to move on.
Chris Mortensen, the original NFL insider on ESPN, has announced his retirement. The move actually happened quietly and discreetly in April, with Mortensen (as he usually did) attracting no attention to himself.
“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. “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 has battled esophageal cancer since early 2016.
For many of us, Mort’s “Inside the Huddle” segments on SportsCenter were must-see TV. Before the Internet, it was the only way to get a quick and compelling roundup of the biggest news happening in the NFL.
It’s hard to think of football season happening without Mort on ESPN. He helped blaze a path on which more and more are clamoring to find footing,