Roger Goodell said the longtime reporter “helped bring fans closer to the game they loved.”
Longtime NFL reporter John Clayton passed away at the age of 67 on Friday. He worked at ESPN covering professional football for 22 years.
In a press release, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell released a statement regarding Clayton and his legacy in the NFL.
“John Clayton, one of the first ‘Insiders,’ helped bring fans closer to the game they loved. For five decades, he covered the league with endless energy and professionalism. He earned my tremendous respect and admiration as a journalist but more importantly as a wonderful person, particularly as it relates to the love, care, and devotion to his wife Pat. We will miss John and send our deepest condolences to Pat and his sister Amy.”
Before working at ESPN starting in 1996, Clayton covered sports at newspapers such as The Pittsburgh Press and The Tacoma News Tribune in Washington. After being laid off by ESPN in 2017, Clayton continued covering NFL by hosting The John Clayton Weekends Show on Seattle Sports 710 AM and contributing to The Fan 104.3 in Denver.
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