Was Chris Mortensen a smoker? A veteran sports journalist died on 3rd March 2024. He was diagnosed with throat cancer back in 2016 and died in 8 years of battle.
Per reports, Mortensen had never been a smoker. He was not spotted with any cigars or any smoking habit.
The smoking habit could not be the reason behind his throat cancer as none of the sources has confirmed this.
Even after many years of cancer battle, the sports journalist worked actively till 2023 and had been doing well till some months back.
Chris Mortensen (November 7, 1951 – March 3, 2024) remained an influential American journalist and made significant contributions to ESPN through various platforms like Sunday NFL Countdown and SportsCenter.
The Torrance, California native showed interest in journalism when he realized he couldn’t pursue professional sports beyond high school.
Starting his career at the Daily Breeze in 1969, Chris received numerous journalism awards, including the 1978 National Headliner Award for Investigative Reporting.
During his time at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution from 1983 to 1990, the late sports analyst covered different sports teams and earned recognition, such as the George Polk Award in 1987.
Joining ESPN in 1991, he reported on NFL games and analyzed the NFL Draft. However, his career faced controversies, including his involvement in Domino’s Twitter advertising and misreporting of the Deflategate scandal.
Was Chris Mortensen a Smoker?
Chris Mortensen may or may not have been a chain smoker. No online sources or media have covered his smoking behavior.
While many social media users and sports fans are linking the death reason to cancer created by smoking, the actual cause behind throat cancer is still unavailable.
His lifestyle and food behavior may have impacted his health.
Until his life, the veteran sports journalist Chris never got spotted with cigars or smoking.
Maybe he was a smoker, but he never smoked in front of media cameras. He had a clear and respected image as a senior member of the sports world.
For now, no media sources have confirmed the actual cause of cancer. Even Chris never talked about his smoking habit on any platforms.
There are no pictures or videos to support his smoking habit. It means the late sports journalist was not a smoker. He gave his health and lifestyle a good priority.
Health And Illness Before Death
The journalist of ESPN’s Sunday NFL Countdown made news headlines after being diagnosed with stage IV throat cancer back in 2016.
He shared the news with the media on 15th January 2016 and took a break from his sports career to undergo treatment.
After some years of treatment, Chris was back in the business. He actively worked as a sports analyst and journalist and finally announced his retirement in 2023.
Sadly, the American journalist took his last breath on 3rd March 2024, at the age of 72. Per reports, he was active enough to work till his retirement.
There was no news of his worst health condition till his time at the sports network. However, he suddenly died on Sunday morning following his cancer journey.
People worldwide, including the sports world and close friends, are mourning his death now. He will be remembered for his excellent sports journalism skills.
