Chris Mortensen, a decorated sports journalist who worked as the NFL reporter for ESPN for over 30 years, passed away on Sunday (March 3) in the morning hours. The news about Chris Mortensen has since gone viral, sparking many on X, formerly Twitter, to share their condolences and memories.
As reported by several outlets, including the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, where he worked as a sports reporter, and ESPN, Chris Mortensen worked for ESPN for over three decades, becoming a part of the network in 1991. As it related to NFL coverage, Mortensen became a trusted voice in sports journalism, and he appeared across ESPN in various shows.
Mortensen was known for having an inside ear to the typically insular happenings in NFL locker rooms and their management. He became known for delivering breaking news within the NFL.
Among Mortensen’s many honors, he was named the Dick McCann Award winner for the Pro Football Writers of America in 2016.
Some might remember Mortensen went public with his stage 4 throat cancer diagnosis and took leave from the network, also in 2016. He returned to reporting but not at the same pace as before. Mortensen’s last broadcast appearance was the 2023 NFL Draft.
The family of Mortensen shared details of the reporter’s passing. The cause of death was not readily known.
Chris Mortensen was 72.
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Photo: Getty