Following the sad news of Chris Mortensen’s passing at the age of 72, his colleagues and peers have taken to social media to commemorate his life and pay their respects.
The veteran NFL insider passed away on Sunday morning, as announced by his family via his long-time professional home at ESPN.
During the NFL combine broadcast on the NFL Network, Rich Eisen and Daniel Jeremiah tearfully celebrated the life and contributions of Mortensen.
Recalling their memories, Eisen said, “I met Chris Mortensen when I was 26 years old, and he was the GOAT in the making for the worldwide leader in sports, ESPN. He was one of the best football reporters we’ve ever known.”
Mortensen took a hiatus from ESPN in 2016 after being diagnosed with Stage 4 throat cancer and bid farewell to the network in September 2023.
Pro Football Hall of Famer Peyton Manning, who also worked with Mortensen at ESPN, shared a heartfelt tribute on Instagram. Manning called Mortensen the best in the business and expressed his sorrow over the loss of his dear friend.
Adam Schefter, who worked closely with Mortensen, expressed his deep sorrow on Twitter. He described Mortensen as one of the greatest reporters in sports history and emphasized the impact he had on the industry.
Ian Rapoport, an NFL Network Insider, referred to Mortensen as one of his idols growing up and highlighted his unmatched contributions to the industry.
