Legendary NFL analyst Chris Mortensen has passed away, ESPN announced Sunday. He was 72 years old. The former ESPN pundit retired in September 2023, before the start of the NFL season.
“Mort was widely respected as a pioneer in the industry and widely loved as a supportive, hard-working teammate. He covered the NFL with extraordinary skill and passion, and for decades, He remained at the top of his field. He will be truly missed by his colleagues and fans, and our hearts and thoughts are with his loved ones,” ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro said in a statement posted by the ESPN PR account. I mentioned it in the post.
Mortensen's journalism career began in . 1969and eventually joined ESPN in 1991. That same year, he wrote a book called “Playing for Keeps: How One Man Keept the Mob from Sooks Its Hooks into Pro Football.”
ESPN is deeply saddened to have to share this shocking news.
Award-winning journalist Chris Mortensen passed away this morning at the age of 72. pic.twitter.com/m0Sh742PuO
— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) March 3, 2024
Mortensen was forced to take a leave of absence from ESPN in 2016 after being diagnosed with stage 4 throat cancer. He will ultimately retire in September 2023.
The media legend was born in Torrance, California in 1951 and started his journalism career at the Daily Breeze in 1969. After that, he worked at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and in 1991 he joined ESPN. (Related: NFL Legend Andy Russell dies at 82)
After Mortensen married his wife Mickey, they had a son, Alex, who later became a quarterback for the Arkansas Razorbacks before entering the NFL as a member of the Tennessee Titans. Alex is currently the offensive coordinator at UAB, working under head coach Trent Dilfer.
