Why did Chris Mortensen quit ESPN? Broadcasting icon bids emotional goodbye to NFL after 33 years
Longtime ESPN NFL analyst Chris Mortensen has announced his retirement. In a social media post on Tuesday afternoon, Mortensen informed fans that after he covered the 2023 NFL draft, the 33rd of his career, he retired.
He said that it was time to focus on his health and family and that he will still be active on social media throughout the NFL season:
"Excited about another season but it’s time to reveal after my 33rd NFL draft in April, I made a decision to step away from ESPN and focus on my health, family and faith. The gratitude and humility is overwhelming. It’s not a classic retirement. I’ll still be here talking ball. It’s just time. God Bless you all."
Before being hired by ESPN, Mortensen worked for seven years at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, covering the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta Braves and performing investigative reporting duties.
Mortensen began his career at ESPN in 1991. He has appeared as an analyst for 33 NFL draft classes. He has also appeared on ESPN's "NFL GameDay," "NFL Sunday Countdown" and "Outside the Lines."
However, it was his "Inside the Huddle" segments on "SportsCenter" that fans seemed to enjoy the most as he gave his breakdown of the NFL's top news stories.
In 2016, Chris Mortensen was honored with the Dick McCann Award, which is given to sports reporters who make an outstanding contribution to football.
Chris Mortensen health update: Did the broadcaster have cancer?
Chris Mortensen's retirement announcement came just about three months after fans last saw him on ESPN. The longtime broadcaster decided to end his 33-year career to focus on his health, closing out his storied career with one last NFL draft.
In January 2016, Chris Mortensen was diagnosed with Stage IV throat cancer. He underwent intensive chemotherapy and radiation treatment. He took a leave of absence while he went through treatment. In August 2016, the now 71-year-old announced that he was recovering and that tests had shown that he didn't have any active cancer cells.
Chris Mortensen didn't return to his broadcasting job in a full-time manner until the 2017 NFL draft. When he did return to the broadcasting desk he picked up right where he left off, giving fans the latest news around the NFL.