Legendary ESPN NFL Reporter Chris Mortensen Dead at 72

NFL reporter Chris Mortensen, who covered football for decades and was one of the most recognizable reporters on TV, is dead.

Chris died Sunday morning according to his longtime employer, ESPN. The cause of death is unclear.

Mortensen was a staple of ESPN's coverage of the NFL for decades ... most famous for his TV segments, dubbed the Mort Report.

Chris was often featured on ESPN's "Sunday NFL Countdown," "SportsCenter" and "Monday Night Football" ... in addition to writing and doing radio hits at ESPN.

Mortensen had to step away from TV in 2016, when he revealed he was battling stage 4 throat cancer. He ultimately returned to work at ESPN, but in September 2023 he retired from the network.

"Mort was widely respected as an industry pioneer and universally beloved as a supportive, hard-working teammate," ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro says. "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."

Chris was 72.