ESPN's Jeff Dickerson.

Long-time ESPN journalist Jeff Dickerson is leaving his role at the network, at least for a while. Dickerson joined ESPN Chicago back in 2001, and currently covers the Chicago Bears for ESPN.com and ESPN’s TV properties, co-hosts Dickerson and Hood nationally on ESPN Radio (weekends outside of football season) and fills in for other national hosts. He also covers the Bears for Chicago’s WABC 7 and is a TV analyst for Loyola-Chicago basketball broadcasts.

But he tweeted Wednesday night that he’s stepping away from his ESPN responsibilities to take care of his wife and his son:

Dickerson has received a lot of support from colleagues and other Chicago media figures:

Here’s wishing Dickerson and his family all the best in the coming days.

[Dickerson screencap from this 2016 ESPN video]

About Andrew Bucholtz

Andrew Bucholtz has been covering sports media for Awful Announcing since 2012. He is also a staff writer for The Comeback. His previous work includes time at Yahoo! Sports Canada and Black Press.