ESPN’s top NFL insider Adam Schefter paid an emotional tribute to his colleague and longtime friend Chris Mortensen, who died Sunday at the age of 72.
Mortensen had been with ESPN from 1991 until 2023, when he left the network after that year’s NFL Draft. Schefter joined ‘The World’s Leader in Sports’ in 2009 and was a co-worker of ‘Mort’ for 14 years.
“It’s easier to ask someone about death once you’ve freed yourself from its clutches,” Schefter’s tribute began.
“As my friend, my mentor and my on-air partner, Chris Mortensen, once did. After Mort was diagnosed with stage four throat cancer in 2015, before defending himself from it in 2017, he was asked what he would think and what would go through his mind if he knew he was dying, as he almost did.
‘Mort said he would think about all his incredible life experiences, how blessed he has been, even with the heartbreaks along the way. He also added that he would be sad to say goodbye to the people he loves, but that he would go to a place of glory.
Adam Schefter (left) narrated ESPN’s tribute to late NFL reporter Chris Mortensen (right)
Mortensen and Schefter had been coworkers at The Worldwide Leader for 14 years
‘Chris Mortensen was born in Torrance, California, outside Los Angeles, in 1951. He served two years in the Army during the Vietnam War, married his wife, Mickey, raised their son, Alex, and settled as a one of the biggest. reporters of all time being an even better man.
‘Mort began his career as a reporter at his hometown newspaper, the Daily Breeze, before moving on to cover the Braves, Falcons and the NFL at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. In 1990, he was among the first reporters hired for the sports newspaper Nacional.
‘Mort came to ESPN in 1991. He left the newspaper business to work on the NFL studio shows SportsCenter, NFL Draft and ESPN Radio. He was the reporter who could get to the bottom of the most difficult stories and, at the same time, be the biggest joker on the network, able to make everyone laugh.’
Schefter continued: “After Mort was admitted to the hospital in 2016, Peyton Manning broke the scoop on his retirement to Mort to inform him as he battled cancer. The Mannings had known and trusted Mort for so long that there was no other consideration for telling that story to anyone but Mort.
And yet, although he made a living reporting on some of the toughest guys in the sport, no one was tougher than Mort himself. Mort defended himself against a real death sentence. He endured intensive radiation treatments. He lost his hair, his weight, but never his sense of humor, spirit or fight.
‘I often appeared on television when I was too tired and exhausted to do so. He lasted years, like his own struggle, to regain his health.
‘And yet, over the years, Mort remained ESPN’s journalistic conscience, its most important and trusted voice. He had seen a lot, knew a lot and established himself not only as one of the best football reporters in history, but also as one of the best sports reporters in history.
‘It’s just one of the reasons why so many people turned to him for guidance on important stories. Because he did it. Mort was a pioneer in this business, one of the first reporters to move from newspapers to television, making it possible for many others to follow a similar path.
Among the many stories Mortensen revealed in his career was the retirement of Peyton Manning.
Mortensen left ESPN after the 2023 NFL Draft after 22 years with the company
‘Fred Gidelli, the legendary NFL game producer, once said that if there was a Mount Rushmore for ESPN, Mort would undoubtedly be on it. Mort was nominated for two Pulitzer Prizes, wrote two highly acclaimed books, won 18 journalism awards, was selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a 2016 Dick McCann Award winner, and became the only sports writer other than the great Red Smith to win the George Polk Award for reporting.
‘But Mort didn’t really need any awards to validate his greatness. Other aspects of a life well lived have already been achieved. .
And here’s the truth about a man we loved as much as we respected. If someone’s life makes you sad when it ends, it’s because it was wonderful when it happened. Mort’s really was.
‘He lived a life that touched many others, filled with faith and purpose, all of which led him to his ultimate and ultimate achievement. Chris Mortensen heads to his place of glory.