Super Bowl Press Box Includes Touching Tribute to Late ESPN Reporter Chris Mortensen

The veteran journalist died on March 3.

Chris Mortensen in 2010. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

This year's Super Bowl will be the first without longtime ESPN reporter Chris Mortensen—a network fixture who died on March 3 of throat cancer. However, the longtime journalist is not forgotten.

The morning before Super Bowl LIX Sunday between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs, ESPN's Adam Schefter posted a photo of a small display in the Caesars Superdome press box in Mortensen's honor.

"On display all day in the press box at the Superdome," Schefter wrote. His photo showed a game ball awarded by the NFL in Mortensen's honor—bearing his picture, the Super Bowl logo, and the words "CHRIS MORTENSEN 1951-2024" in all caps.

On display all day in the press box at the Superdome: pic.twitter.com/IFRiD6qTpY

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 9, 2025

Mortensen, who helped pioneer the "insider" role seen across sports television today, began appearing on ESPN in 1991 and stayed there for decades.

In 2016, Mortensen received the Bill Nunn Memorial Award—the honor given out annually by the Professional Football Writers of America for "a long and distinguished contribution to pro football through coverage."

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