ESPN journalist Chris Mortensen, known for his NFL coverage, passed away at 72 after battling Stage IV throat cancer.

Award-winning ESPN journalist Chris Mortensen, known for his three-decade coverage of the NFL, has passed away at the age of 72. Mortensen, who joined ESPN in 1991, was diagnosed with Stage IV throat cancer in 2016 but continued to work until his retirement in September 2023. A respected figure in the industry, Mortensen won the George Polk Award in 1987 and was honored with the Pro Football Writers of America's Dick McCann Award in 2016.