Chris Mortensen, a longtime ESPN NFL reporter, died at the age of 72.

By: AHSAN MUMTAZ Learn more

– Mortensen was an award-winning journalist who covered 33 NFL drafts for ESPN.

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[{"selector":"#anim-71b34f2d-ab51-458a-9b07-0828e72e23fa [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":5000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-90297797-1ae7-4c24-9f76-b5465c396730","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bf39da75-c63a-4ba6-9abd-3fedb5196299","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 122.28536%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] – He was known for his reporting on the NFL and his work on the “SportsCenter” segment “Inside the Huddle”.

[{"selector":"#anim-f142f043-23fd-4ad1-a609-780b95ae7cf8 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":5000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2a911394-e845-4127-92b0-9ac2e22d7c74","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-52646fbd-45c1-4fee-971c-8a9906ebe24b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 127.81719%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] – Mortensen battled esophageal cancer for years before retiring in April 2023.

[{"selector":"#anim-47d7fdee-2dc0-4407-8168-e8cd726e5bbd [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":5000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2ac343bc-37ed-414d-976e-3f18917c2dd7","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-62c78768-5379-4343-bd30-b4e50b1d66e1","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 117.17173%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] – He previously covered the Atlanta Braves, Falcons, and the NFL for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

[{"selector":"#anim-b772d498-8faa-4160-bd2c-afbaae414bcf [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":5000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1a7adb7d-cc84-4d08-b795-bdbbd44be708","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c32ae6b7-54e7-478c-91fc-2ac0abe4dd9c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 117.17173%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] – He previously covered the Atlanta Braves, Falcons, and the NFL for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

[{"selector":"#anim-421af171-0512-486b-b8b9-aa628fab36d6 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":5000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fb44a4a1-b460-4857-b058-39bdd3d09665","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a3176eb3-2b89-4718-9ec3-04355653f0d6","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 154.49736%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] – Mortensen won a George Polk Award in 1987 for his reporting.

[{"selector":"#anim-d8d0b52c-e353-4857-8b0a-a49be4215c87 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":5000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e753fa0f-88f0-4f8a-ab32-766bedd11fbc","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c2cd5107-3685-471a-bf01-5b1ac03b2758","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 115.05124%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] – He is survived by his wife, Micki Mortensen, and his son, Alex Mortensen.

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