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Chris Mortensen

This article is about the journalist. For the supercentenarian, see Christian Mortensen.

Chris Mortensen
Mortensen in 2006
Born
Christian Anthony Mortensen

(1951-11-07)November 7, 1951
Torrance, California, U.S.
DiedMarch 3, 2024(2024-03-03) (aged 72)
Irondale, Alabama, U.S.
Occupation(s)Sports reporter and columnist
Years active1991–2023
SpouseMicki Mortensen
ChildrenAlex Mortensen

Christian Anthony Mortensen (November 7, 1951 – March 3, 2024), known to friends as "Mort", was an American journalist regarded as a pioneer working year-round reporting news of the National Football League (NFL).

Mortensen is best known for his work at the cable television network ESPN, frequently contributing to the network's award-winning football shows such as NFL GameDay, Sunday NFL Countdown, and Monday Night Countdown, as well as the network's Outside the Lines series. He was also a frequent contributor to the network's SportsCenter, ESPN Radio, and ESPN.com packages.

Early life

Chris Mortensen was born November 7, 1951, in Torrance, California,[1] Mortensen attended North Torrance High School in Torrance, California, and El Camino College before serving two years in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War.[2]

Career

Mortensen started his career with the South Bay Daily Breeze in 1969.[3] He received 18 awards in journalism. In 1978, he won the National Headliner Award for Investigative Reporting. In 2016, he received the Dick McCann Award from the Pro Football Writers of America and was honored by the Pro Football Hall of Fame during its enshrinement ceremony in August 2016.[3] Beginning in 1985, he covered every Super Bowl except for Super Bowl 50, which he did not cover after being diagnosed with stage IV throat cancer.[4]

Atlanta Journal-Constitution

From 1983 to 1990, Mortensen worked at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, filing investigative reports and covering the Atlanta Braves (1983–85), Atlanta Falcons (1985–86) and the National Football League (NFL) (1987–89). In 1987, he was given the George Polk Award for his reporting.[5]

The National

He once covered the NFL for The National (1989–90), where he was one of the first writers hired by editor Frank Deford.[6]

ESPN

Mortensen first appeared on ESPN in 1991.[7] He was the first "insider" hired by ESPN. He soon gained recognition as a pioneer of "insider" reporting of the National Football League on national television, breaking some of the biggest news, such as Peyton Manning's retirement.[4][7]

During his career, Mortensen reported for the network's Emmy Award–winning programs NFL GameDay, NFL Countdown, and the network's shows Outside the Lines and SportsCenter.[3][7] He worked as an analyst for ESPN's coverage of the NFL draft and changed how ESPN covered the draft.[4][8]

Mortensen left the network in April 2023 following the 2023 NFL draft due to health problems related to throat cancer.[9]

Deflategate controversy

Main article: Deflategate

On January 21, 2015, Mortensen reported erroneously that 11 of the 12 footballs used in the AFC Championship Game on January 18, 2015, between the New England Patriots and the Indianapolis Colts were 2 pounds per square inch (PSI; 13.8 kPa) under NFL regulation.[10]

The Wells Report findings showed that only 1 of 22 readings (with each ball tested twice with different gauges except the intercepted ball) showed to be under by 2 PSI. The rest ranged from 1.8 to 0.2 PSI (12.4 to 1.4 kPa) below.[11][12] Despite being debunked in the Wells report, Mortensen's original story remained posted on ESPN as late as August 13, 2015, with no retraction, clarification or apology.[10]

Mortensen was to appear on WEEI's Dennis and Callahan radio show on July 31, 2015, but cancelled. According to WEEI, Mortensen stated he "will not allow WEEI, [Patriots owner Robert] Kraft or anybody to make me the centerpiece of a story that has been misreported far beyond anything I did in the first 48 hours."[13]

Other work

Mortensen was the author of the 1991 book Playing for Keeps: How One Man Kept the Mob from Sinking Its Hooks into Pro Football.[14] In 1999, he made a film called The Unreal Story of Professional Wrestling.[15]

Personal life and death

Mortensen was married to Micki Mortensen.[16] Their son, Alex Mortensen, is a coach and former professional quarterback.[17] Chris Mortensen was a Christian, and lived in Bella Vista, Arkansas.[1][16]

On January 15, 2016, Mortensen announced via an ESPN statement that he had been diagnosed with stage IV throat cancer and would consequently be taking a leave of absence from his on-air work at the cable network.[18] Mortensen survived eight years past the diagnosis, and died at his son's home in Irondale, Alabama, on March 3, 2024, at the age of 72.[1][3]

References

  1. ^ a b c Sandomir, Richard (March 4, 2024). "Chris Mortensen, ESPN's Longtime N.F.L. Insider, Dies at 72". The New York Times. Retrieved March 4, 2024.
  2. ^ "Chris Mortensen profile". Retrieved August 6, 2015.
  3. ^ a b c d "Award-winning ESPN reporter Mortensen dies". ESPN.com. March 3, 2024. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
  4. ^ a b c Chris Mortensen, longtime ESPN journalist, dies at 72, The Athletic
  5. ^ "ESPN's Chris Mortensen selected as PFWA 2016 Dick McCann Award winner". profootballwriters.org. Pro Football Writers of America. June 22, 2016. Retrieved August 3, 2019.
  6. ^ "ESPN'S CHRIS MORTENSEN NAMED 2016 MCCANN AWARD WINNER". profootballhof.com. Pro Football Hall of Fame. Retrieved July 27, 2019.
  7. ^ a b c Lauren Campbell, "Chris Mortensen, Longtime ESPN Reporter, Dies at 72," Masslive.com, March 3, 2024.
  8. ^ Bieler, Des. "After battling throat cancer, Chris Mortensen returns for ESPN's NFL draft coverage". washingtonpost.com. WP Company LLC. Retrieved July 27, 2019.
  9. ^ Bumbaca, Chris (September 5, 2023). "Longtime ESPN reporter, NFL insider Chris Mortensen reveals he has retired from TV network". USA Today. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
  10. ^ a b Chris Mortensen, "11 of 12 Pats footballs underinflated", ESPN, January 21, 2015; retrieved August 2, 2015.
  11. ^ Kyed, Doug (May 7, 2015). "DeflateGate Fact Or Fiction: Wells Report Findings Expose Media Leaks". NESN.com. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
  12. ^ Smith, Michael David (August 4, 2015). "Six months later, Mortensen deletes inaccurate Deflategate tweet". Retrieved August 5, 2015.
  13. ^ Mike Florio, "Mortensen pulls plug on WEEI appearance", profootballtalk.nbcsports.com, July 31, 2015; retrieved August 2, 2015.
  14. ^ "Chris Mortensen bio". espn.com. ESPN, Inc. Retrieved August 3, 2019.
  15. ^ Ingle, Zachary; Sutera, David M. (2013). Gender and Genre in Sports Documentaries: Critical Essays. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 171. ISBN 9780810887879.
  16. ^ a b Romano, Jason (October 26, 2017). "ESPN's Chris Mortensen clings to God as he continues to battle cancer". Sports Spectrum. Retrieved October 27, 2020.
  17. ^ Casagrande, Michael (February 19, 2014). "Alex Mortensen, son of ESPN's Chris Mortensen, to join Alabama staff (report)". al.com. Retrieved August 3, 2019.
  18. ^ "Chris Mortensen taking break to treat throat cancer". ESPN.com. January 15, 2016. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
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