Longtime Former ESPN Reporter John Clayton Dies at 67

The football expert had most recently been working for a Seattle radio station covering the Seahawks.

John Clayton, a former ESPN NFL writer and current contributor to Seattle Sports 710 AM, died Friday. He was 67 years old.

Seattle Sports 710 AM confirmed the news on Twitter.

“It is with a heavy heart that we share the news of John Clayton’s passing. His legendary, Hall of Fame career will forever have a lasting legacy on football fans across the world. Our condolences to his wife Pat, and to his friends and family. We will miss you, John.”

Clayton wrote for multiple newspapers early in his career, including The Pittsburgh Press and The Tacoma News Tribune in Washington, before joining ESPN in 1996. He spent 22 years as an NFL writer and reporter for ESPN, but was let go in 2017 as a part of the company’s mass layoffs.

Most recently, Clayton hosted “The John Clayton Weekends Show” on Seattle Sports 710 AM and contributed to The Fan 104.3 in Denver.

The Seahawks also confirmed the news and expressed their condolences.

Heartbroken. 💔

Rest In Peace, The Professor. pic.twitter.com/xFGdTYstnT

— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) March 19, 2022

While he covered the NFL for his entire career, Clayton was also well-known for his appearance on a “This Is SportsCenter” commercial, where he appeared with long hair and expressing a love for heavy metal music.

John Clayton, a first-class NFL insider and our beloved longtime ESPN colleague, died today.

He also starred in the greatest This Is SportsCenter commercial of all time.

RIP, Johnpic.twitter.com/5s5H0gQZcu

— Don Van Natta Jr. (@DVNJr) March 19, 2022

Also known by the nickname, “The Professor,” he won the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Dick McCann Award in 2007 for distinguished reporting in football.