Chris Mortensen, one of the original NFL insiders whose work informed millions of football fans for decades, has died at the age of 72.
After a long newspaper career, most notably at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Mortensen spent years at ESPN, working on its NFL studio shows and gaining a reputation as one of the NFL’s major news breakers.
Mortensen announced in 2016 that he was scaling back his work after being diagnosed with throat cancer.
“Mort was widely respected as an industry pioneer and universally beloved as a supportive, hard-working teammate,” ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro 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.”
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.