Chris Mortensen, who covered football for ESPN, died March 3 in Birmingham, Alabama. He was 72. ESPN did not cite a cause of death, but Mortensen had battled throat cancer.
“Mort was widely respected as an industry pioneer and universally beloved as a supportive, hard-working teammate,” Jimmy Pitaro, chairman of ESPN, said on ESPN.com. “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.”
