Ed Werder, a longtime reporter for ESPN covering the NFL and Dallas Cowboys, is parting ways with the network after 26 years.
The shocking announcement came Thursday via Twitter. Werder’s “The Mother Ship” departure might not have been amicable, considering his immediate plan to seek work elsewhere.
“For 26 years, I’ve had the privilege of reporting on the NFL and the Dallas Cowboys while holding an ESPN microphone,” Werder wrote. “But that time is coming to an end. I will immediately begin considering other opportunities to continue my work covering the NFL.”
Werder highlighted his prestigious credentials, including covering 20 consecutive Super Bowls and having his work praised in 2017 at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. He received the Dick McCann Award, the highest honor given by the league to a journalist for covering the sport.
He concludes by suggesting fans of his reporting will not be waiting long to see more.
“While this marks the end of my partnership, I expect to continue working because, as so many studio hosts have proclaimed, and I still devoutly believe — ‘Ed Werder has more.'”
— Ed Werder (@WerderEdESPN) May 23, 2024
ESPN hired Werder in 1998, and he served primarily as a reporter for the Dallas Cowboys, his bio states. He has, over his career at the network, become a staple of nearly every prominent NFL broadcast, including “Sunday NFL Countdown,” “Monday Night Countdown,” “Sportscenter” and “NFL Live.”
As surprising as this announcement is, it isn’t the first time Werder left ESPN. He was one of the higher-profile names the company laid off in 2017 due to budget cuts.
The legendary reporter worked the sidelines for Westwood One radio broadcasts of NFL games in 2017 before returning to ESPN in 2019. (RELATED: ‘You Will Not Deviate From The Script’: Former ESPN Host Sage Steele Says Her Biden Interview Was Strictly Controlled)
The network released a statement thanking one of its more prominent NFL reporters for their service over the years.
“Ed Werder has been a mainstay on ESPN’s NFL coverage for more than 25 seasons. He has elevated our programs, including ‘Sunday NFL Countdown,’ and the multiple platforms he’s contributed to while reporting at signature games, Super Bowls and nearly all league events,” the statement reads.
“His journalistic instincts and relationships have benefitted fans throughout the year. We thank Ed for everything he contributed and wish him success in the future.”
ESPN salutes NFL reporter @WerderEdESPN 🏈 https://t.co/iIAivXbwe3 pic.twitter.com/P2DXogHRHP
— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) May 23, 2024
As a Cowboys fan growing up, it’s difficult to remember a game that didn’t feature Werder and his signature mustache parading the sidelines.
A vast majority of the time you didn’t feel the need to question the news he was providing as is sometimes the case in the current sports journalism landscape. He had an uncanny ability to get inside scoops, and he would buoy it all with insightful commentary that would help fans digest what it might mean on the field.
It will be interesting to see where he lands next. Ed Werder, after all, “has more.”
