Caption: Sideline reporter Chris Mortensen on ESPN Monday Night Football September 11, 2006 in Washington. The Minnesota Vikings defeated the Redskins 19 - 16. (Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images)
ESPN’s Chris Mortensen was diagnosed with Stage IV throat cancer in January and took a leave of absence from the network while fighting the disease.
In a statement released on Wednesday, however, the veteran NFL reporter revealed his treatments have gone well enough that he is prepared to return to work this fall, just in time for the start of football season.
Mortensen, 64, does not yet have a specific date for his return, although he said he hopes to “participate in NFL coverage on a limited basis as the 2016 season gets underway.”
“I received very encouraging news last week from my oncologist team of doctors at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center that now enables me to completely focus on recovery rather than treatment,” Mortensen’s statement read, via ESPN’s Media Zone. “The Stage IV throat (oropharyngel) cancer that was diagnosed in early January and treated with intensive chemotherapy and radiation has been virtually reduced to zero detection of the disease through the latest scans and exams.”
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The analyst is still on official leave. Doctors have directed him to work on recovering from the “significant weight loss, strength, endurance and related health issues” that resulted from his course of treatment.
The M.D. Anderson Cancer Center is a highly regarded facility in Houston, where TNT’s Craig Sager recently underwent chemotherapy to prepare for a bone-marrow transplant that occurred on Wednesday.
Mortensen joined EPSN in 1991 and has been a regular on programs like “NFL Insiders,” “Sunday NFL Countdown,” “Monday Night Countdown” and “SportsCenter.”
“It has been a long and difficult road for Mort since he was diagnosed, so hearing his positive news is very encouraging,” ESPN senior coordinating producer Seth Markman said in a statement. “As we have said all along, when Mort is able to return, his chair on our set will be waiting. He is a beloved member of our ESPN team and we have really missed him these past few months.”
Mortensen’s co-workers took to social media to express their delight upon hearing Wednesday’s update on the reporter’s condition.
Clearly, Mortensen has a very strong support group at ESPN.
Caption: Sideline reporter Chris Mortensen on ESPN Monday Night Football September 11, 2006 in Washington. The Minnesota Vikings defeated the Redskins 19 – 16. (Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images)
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