Linda Cohn Credit: ESPN
By Sean Keeley on

As first reported by Awful Announcing, Linda Cohn will be retiring from ESPN at the end of June.

It’s the literal end of an era, as Cohn is ESPN’s longest-tenured SportsCenter anchor, having been behind the desk since July 1992.

Cohn and ESPN were unable to agree on a suitable role for her moving forward after her contract expires at the end of the month, as reported by Awful Announcing’s Ben Koo. She will make her final SportsCenter appearances on Friday, June 26.

“When I look back, I have amazing memories of the shows I hosted,  the games I reported on, the athletes I met and the outstanding colleagues I got to work with,” said Cohn, in an ESPN release. “I’ve always said I was a fan first and I’ve always tried to keep that top of mind when I was doing SportsCenter or anything else.

“But what I’m most proud of is that my career lasted long enough for me to see little girls grow up watching SportsCenter, enter this business, and succeed in it,” she said. “If my journey helped make that path a little easier for them, then that’s the achievement I’ll cherish most.”

Cohn shared many stories about her time at SportsCenter and ESPN on Rich Eisen’s This Was SportsCenter podcast last week, including the infamous Ken Griffey Jr. interview that became an early internet sensation and the “master batter” catchphrase that ESPN executive Norby Williamson shut down after one airing.

“Linda Cohn is a legend and a major part of the history of ESPN,” ESPN content president Burke Magnus said in a release. “She has brought enthusiasm, personality and her love of sports to our audience for more than 30 years, and her contributions to ESPN both in front of and behind the camera would make a very long list. We wish her all the best in her retirement and sincerely thank her.”

He wasn’t the only sports media figure to pay respects to Cohn for her storied ESPN career; tributes poured in across social media as the news spread, with many celebrating her impact as a trailblazer in the field.

About Sean Keeley

Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.

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