Chris Mortensen

Here’s a plain fact: nobody who knew the late Chris Mortensen will ever forget him. Known to many as Mort, he was a journalist who joined ESPN as an NFL Insider in 1991 and built a reputation for his knowledge, integrity, and fairness. Players, owners, agents, and everybody at ESPN loved him, trusted him. And his impact lives on.

Born in Torrance, CA, he attended El Camino College and served two years in the U.S. Army before beginning his journalism career in 1969 at the South Bay Daily Breeze in Hermosa Beach, CA. That humble beginning led to a big-time career in which he not only made the leap to TV but was nominated for two Pulitzer Prizes, wrote two highly acclaimed books, won 18 journalism awards, was selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame as the Dick McCann Award recipient, and became the only sports writer other than the great Red Smith to win the George Poke Award for reporting.

In 1983, Mortensen made the move across the country to join the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, where in 1987 he would receive the George Polk Award for his reporting. He was at AJC until 1990 and, toward the end of his time there (1989-90), was the NFL reporter for sports newspaper The National Daily. It was there that his national profile rose to the point that, the next year, he was hired by ESPN to be its first “Insider,” reporting on some of the biggest headlines but also getting the scoop on things like Peyton Manning’s retirement.

Says ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro, “Mort was a true industry pioneer and played a pivotal role in cementing ESPN as the premier source for NFL news. Renowned for his extraordinary skill and unwavering passion, he covered the league with unmatched depth and dedication. For decades, he not only stood at the pinnacle of his profession but also blazed a trail for others to follow. I admire all that he did, and his remarkable legacy will continue to inspire for years to come.”

Notes Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer Chris Berman, one of ESPN’s signature announcers, “He was an old-school newspaper reporter, the kind of writer who, in the old days, would have been called a ‘shoe-leather’ reporter. At the crux of it,” he adds, “Mort wasn’t obsessed with being the first reporter with the scoop. He was obsessed with getting it right. He kept us honest.”

He also touched Berman’s heart. Learning that Berman’s daughter had cancer, Mortensen counseled and consoled her. Berman didn’t learn about that until much later.

As it sometimes happens, reporters are so good at collecting facts and nuances of a story that sources seek them out to tell their stories.

One Saturday in March 2016, from the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Mortensen called ESPN VP, Production, Seth Markman, who oversees the broadcaster’s NFL studio shows, and told him he had a big story.

Markman recalls, “Mortensen said, “I don’t know if I should tell you because I can’t do [the story] for you until tomorrow. I’ll tell you, but you’re not going to be happy about it. Peyton’s going to retire, and I can’t do it until tomorrow.’ I said, “Why not? You should be able to do it tonight, tweet it out.” And he’s, like, “No. I gave him my word.”

In a world of 24/7 news and sports reporting, sports blogs, and social media, Markman knew the risks of letting the story slip away. But he also knew Mortensen, and Mortensen knew Manning well enough to take the chance. It all worked out. It resulted in a huge scoop for ESPN.

“Chris was as good a teammate as anyone could hope to have,” says Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer Fred Gaudelli, executive producer, Sunday Night Football, NBC. “His incredible work ethic and endless contacts enabled him to break stories seemingly at will. However, Mort was more interested in helping the team and would often step out of the spotlight so his teammates could shine.”

Says John Skipper, former executive chairman of DAZN Group; former president of ESPN, and co-founder of Meadowlark Media, “Chris was a consummate hard-working reporter and on-air commentator. Off-air, he was a thoughtful, friendly, and kind colleague.”

Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer Lesley Visser, writer and on-air talent, describes Mortensen as “among the most widely respected NFL journalists, along with Peter King and my Boston Globe colleague Will McDonough. They were built from the same stuff: boots on the ground reporting, always a phone in one ear, and a passion for the job. Chris was the sweetest soul known to man. He can’t be honored enough.”

Says Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer John A. Walsh, former EVP, ESPN, “Chris was the best at what he did: writing, reporting, and commenting knowledgeably. He was also the best colleague, always reaching out to help you no matter your job title or rank, and he cared about each of us professionally and personally. He had a gracious sense of gratitude for all in his orbit.”

Mortensen didn’t let his struggle with cancer get in the way. Adam Schefter, also an NFL Insider, worked closely with Mortensen and saw his struggles close-up: “Because he could no longer produce saliva, he would down glasses of water [on the set] to keep going.”

It moved Schefter, who adds that Mortensen taught him a lot that didn’t necessarily have to do with football: “I was always wound up tight. He could make me laugh. He had a tremendous sense of humor. He was very wise. There’s not one Sunday [with the on-air crew before the telecast] that I don’t think of him.”

Mortensen, who died in March at the age of 72, told Peter King, another of sports journalism’s top reporters, that the disease taught him a lot. “You learn how to treasure life. I get up every day: ‘Thank you, Lord. Let’s have some fun today. Let’s enjoy it.’”