Longtime sports anchor for Chicago’s WGN, Jarrett Payton, is stepping away from the network after 10 years, he announced on social media on Thursday.
“After 10 meaningful years at WGN, I’ve made the decision to step away from the station. This choice comes from the heart. I want to spend more time with my family. They are the most important part of my world,” Payton wrote. “To our audience: Thank you for watching, for welcoming me into your lives, and for the incredible kindness you’ve shown over the years. Your support has touched my heart and reminded me that what we shared went far beyond sports. I’m deeply grateful for your trust, and I’ll carry it with me always.”
10 years.
Countless memories.
A whole lot of love.
Forever grateful.
✌️❤️🙏🏽
— Jarrett Payton (@paytonsun) July 30, 2026
Jarrett Payton, the son of NFL legend Walter Payton, was a running back himself in college for the Miami Hurricanes. After going undrafted in 2004, Payton had stints across the NFL, CFL, and Indoor Football League.
After hanging up his cleats, Payton turned to broadcasting, with Chicago an obvious home for his services. He began his run at WGN in 2015. During that time, Payton once acted out the city’s baseball highlights after a server error, and also went viral after producing some of the first video evidence of the relationship between Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift as they left Arrowhead Stadium together after a game against the Bears in 2023.
Talk about being at the right place at the right time! Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce leaving Arrowhead together after the game. #Bears #ChiefsKingdom #NFL pic.twitter.com/wrMoDszOme
— Jarrett Payton (@paytonsun) September 25, 2023
You can read Payton’s farewell message in its entirety below:
“After 10 meaningful years at WGN, I’ve made the decision to step away from the station. This choice comes from the heart. I want to spend more time with my family. They are the most important part of my world.
“To our audience: Thank you for watching, for welcoming me into your lives, and for the incredible kindness you’ve shown over the years. Your support has touched my heart and reminded me that what we shared went far beyond sports. I’m deeply grateful for your trust, and I’ll carry it with me always.
“Thank you to Rick, Akemi, WGN and Nexstar for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to do what I love. A special thank you to Jen Lyons for taking a chance on me back in the day. To Dan Roan and Rich King: Thank you for your guidance and for mentoring me with patience, wisdom, and belief. Your leadership helped shape not only the broadcaster I’ve become, but the man I am today.
“To my incredible WGN Sports colleagues: Joel, Rick, K-Shark, Josh, Nate, Chris, Ernest, Andy, KP, Demetri, Eli, Steve, and Ike. You mean more to me than words can express. Building GN Sports alongside all of you has been one of the greatest honors of my career. I’m incredibly proud of what we created together. Thank you for your friendship, your support, and for making WGN a place that truly felt like home. To our entire newsroom family: The energy we created was magical. The laughter, the late nights, the breaking news, the unforgettable moments, and even the quiet ones will stay etched in my heard forever. You are the very best in this business, and I will always be grateful to call you colleagues.
“Even as I step away, I’m still looking for ways to stay connected to the station I love. I do so with a heart full of gratitude, excitement, and hope. Here’s to more time with the family, new beginnings, and whatever comes next.
“With love and appreciation, JP”
About Tyler Lauletta
Tyler is a editorial contributor at Awful Announcing, with previous stops at Sports Illustrated and Business Insider during his career covering sports in digital media. He is, begrudgingly, a Truster of the Process and general Philly sports sicko.