ESPN staff pays tribute to Chris Mortensen during NFL draft

ESPN satffers paid tribute to Chris Mortensen during their broadcast of the NFL draft.

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ESPN staffers paid tribute to NFL reporter Chris Mortensen during their broadcast of the NFL draft on Thursday night.

Mortensen has taken a break from on-air work with ESPN as he undergoes treatment for stage 4 throat cancer.

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Mortensen starred in a new Gatorade ad campaign that salutes Peyton Manning, just a few months after Mortensen was the first to break the news of the NFL quarterback's retirement.

[youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1vxRWColjY​]

Fellow ESPN insider Adam Schefter shared a photo of them at last year's NFL draft.

Miss this guy. Love this guy. Thinking of this guy. pic.twitter.com/OHUq2gNrri

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 28, 2016

The second and third round of the NFL draft will take place on Friday.