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Mortensen, affectionately known by his
colleagues as "Mort," announced last September that he had
stepped away from ESPN following that April's NFL draft to
"focus on (his) health, family and faith."
"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."
Mortensen took a leave of absence from his job in 2016 to
undergo treatment for Stage 4 throat cancer. That same year, he
broke the news that Peyton Manning would retire.
Before joining ESPN in 1991, Mortensen worked for the Atlanta
Journal-Constitution and the short-lived sports publication The
National.
He received a George Polk Award in 1987 and was given the Dick
McCann Award from the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2016.
"An absolutely devastating day," ESPN reporter Adam Schefter
wrote Sunday on social media. "Mort was one of the greatest
reporters in sports history, and an even better man. Sincerest
condolences to his family, and all who knew and loved him. So
many did. Mort was the very best. He will be forever missed and
remembered."
--Field Level Media
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