Longtime NFL Reporter Ed Werder Leaving ESPN After Contract Not Renewed

Ed Werder is leaving ESPN after 26 years with The Worldwide Leader.

The longtime Dallas Cowboys and NFL reporter announced his departure from the network on Thursday. Werder said he would "immediately begin considering other opportunities."

"My ESPN career was highlighted by being assigned to cover 20 consecutive Super Bowls and included having my contributions honored at the Pro Football Hall of Fame," Werder wrote in a post on X.

"While this marks the end of my partnership with ESPN, I expect to continue working because, as so many studio hosts have proclaimed — and I devoutly believe — 'Ed Werder has more.'"

The 64-year-old's contract was expiring and was not renewed. ESPN confirmed the move in a separate statement: "His journalistic instincts and relationships have benefitted fans throughout the years. We thank Ed for everything he contributed and wish him success in the future."

During his first stint at ESPN, from 1998-2017, Werder established himself as a leading voice on the Cowboys and league — covering everything from the NFL Draft to the Super Bowl. He appeared on several of the network's programs, including Sunday NFL Countdown, Monday Night Countdown, Sportscenter, and NFL Live. 

He received the 2017 Dick McCann award from the Professional Football Writers of America for his work.

Ed Werder interviews Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones during training camp in July 2023.

(Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)

But this isn't the first time Werder and ESPN parted ways. In 2017, he was a casualty of a mass layoff stemming from the network's budget cuts. He returned to ESPN two years later.

Prior to joining ESPN, Werder was an NFL correspondent for CNNSI on CNN's Sports Tonight and CNN's Sunday NFL Preview. He also spent time as the Cowboys beat writer for the Dallas Morning News and the Fort Worth Star Telegram, the Denver Broncos beat writer for the Boulder Daily Camera and as a correspondent for Sports Illustrated.