Though the two didn’t often work together due to schedules and different platforms, Mark Schlereth called the news of the passing of ESPN on-air personality John Saunders “devastating.”
It was announced Wednesday morning that Saunders, who graced the sports airwaves for nearly three decades with the network, died at age 61.
Along with studio and play-by-play programming, Saunders hosted “The Sports Reporter” on ESPN, a program Schlereth said had a large impact on him during not only his broadcast but also his NFL playing career.
“You flip on the TV as you wake up, and there were the sports reporters and John Saunders. And you’d be like, ‘Alright, let me here what these guys have to say,’” Schlereth said of his game-day routine as a player. “He’s a part of my career as a player, watching him on that program, and then, of course, as a broadcaster. You know, he was always so kind and so gracious and always made me feel part of the team.
“He will be missed. He’s great man. It’s just devastating news.”
According to ESPN, Saunders was a founding member of The V Foundation for Cancer Research and served on its board of directors.
He joined ESPN in December 1986 as an anchor for SportsCenter.
“He is one of the class guys in this business, and always treated me with grace, was always respectful. And from the very first time I met the guy, he was always welcoming,” Schlereth said.
He added: “A giant in the business, but more because of the person he was and the man he was and the way he treated everyone with class, grace and dignity.”
Follow 104.3 The Fan digital content producer Johnny Hart on Twitter: @johnnyhart7.
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