John Clayton longtime NFL reporter and radio personality has died

Legendary NFL reporter John Clayton dies at 67

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John Clayton, whose NFL contact list was matched only by his attention to detail and dedication, died Friday in Washington after a short illness, his family said.

He was 67 years old.

Nicknamed “The Professor,” John Clayton has been one of the top NFL insiders in the country throughout his fifty-year career, including over 20 years on ESPN. Joe Farahoni / ESPN Images

Clayton, nicknamed “The Professor”, was one of the NFL’s top journalists, with a career spanning five decades, including over 20 years on ESPN. Clayton sought out news and information with such zeal that, as ESPN’s Chris Mortensen put it, “anyone who paid attention walked away a little more polite.”

“Long before he became an ESPN icon, John was arguably the best breaking news reporter of his generation, the guy who kept a story hidden for months and then broke it before others knew what he was saying.” said Mike Sando of The Athletic, a longtime friend of Clayton’s. “That’s how good he was. On a personal level, John was incredibly generous to me when I replaced him at the Seahawks as team reporter for the Tacoma News Tribune years ago. I owe so much to John and I will miss him greatly.”

A native of Braddock, Pennsylvania, Clayton began his career in 1972 as a teenager covering the Pittsburgh Steelers in a season that included “Flawless Reception.” He then attended Duquesne University and was hired by the Pittsburgh Press in his fourth year at Duquesne. He continued his work until, just 10 days ago, he analyzed the sensational trade deal for Russell Wilson from the Seattle Seahawks to the Denver Broncos at Seattle Sports 710 AM, where he was a regular.

“Your words and magnificence will be missed @JohnClaytonNFL #RIPJohnClayton,” Wilson tweeted as he and Clayton’s former colleagues and friends posted on social media Friday night to offer a wake.

“The Seahawks are heartbroken to learn of the passing of John Clayton,” the team said in a statement. The Steelers called Clayton “a Pittsburgh media icon”.

“A number of NFL executives and coaches who have contacted me have expressed great respect and a sense of deep loss and shock,” Mortensen said.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell called Clayton “a remarkable man” who “earned my immense respect and admiration as a journalist.”

“John Clayton, one of the original insiders, helped fans get closer to the sport they loved,” Goodell said in a statement. “For five decades, he has covered the league with endless energy and professionalism.”

Clayton spent over ten years at the Tacoma (Washington) News Tribune and then over 20 years at ESPN. Clayton has also written for various publications, including the Washington Post, in recent years after his long stint with ESPN, and was an outside reporter for the Seahawks radio network for five seasons. Since last February, he has also been publishing stories for KKFN-FM (104.3 FM) in Denver.

“John was a trailblazer as an NFL insider, but also one of the nicest people you’ve ever had the pleasure of working with,” said Seth Markman, ESPN vice president and executive producer. “He literally never turned down a show that asked him to come — from 6am to midnight, if you asked for a professor, he was there for you. I will also personally remember how he loved and cared for his beloved. wife Pat while she was battling multiple sclerosis. We will all miss John very much.”

Clayton received the highest professional award, now known as the Bill Nunn, Jr. Memorial Award, in 2007. This award is presented annually by the Professional Football Writers Association of America (PFWA) in recognition of “long and outstanding professional reporting.” football.”

“This is the highest honor that any writer covering this sport can receive,” Clayton said at the time.

“PFWA mourns the passing of John Clayton,” the organization said in a statement. “John was the 19th President of the PFWA (1999-2000) and recipient of the Bill Nunn Jr. Award in 2007. The “Professor” was a friend of so many in our business. Our condolences to his wife Pat, family, colleagues and his many friends.

Clayton was also a longtime member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Selection Committee.

ESPN hired Clayton in 1995 as an allologist for NFL coverage. The producers of SportsCenter created a landmark segment called “Four Downs”, in which Clayton confronts NFL analyst and former quarterback Sean Salisbury. It has become a television not to be missed.

Salisbury called Clayton a “phenomenal person” in a tweet.

Also memorable are Clayton’s appearances in ESPN’s “This is SportsCenter” commercials, which are considered some of the best in popular segments to date. Clayton’s appearance included a spot where he appeared, as he did at the SportsCenter, wearing a jacket and tie before ripping off both to reveal a Slayer T-shirt, loosening his long hair, jumping on the bed and yelling, “Mom, I I’m done with my segment.”

His love for American football has never wavered since those early days.

“Until they bury me, I guess,” he told the Pittsburgh Post Gazette in 2018 when asked how long he would continue to cover the NFL. “I love it all. What I love is that there’s so much more that we didn’t have access to years ago that we now have – salary information, NFL game rewind where you can watch coaches’ records. information and other analytics, it’s phenomenal.”

Clayton is survived by his wife Pat and sister Amy.