ESPN reported Wednesday morning that longtime commentator John Saunders has died. He was 61.

The cause of death has not been released.

His death came as a surprise to colleagues and fans.

Saunders worked for ESPN for nearly 30 years, covering college football, basketball and hockey, according to the network. Saunders did play-by-play coverage and served as an anchor on SportsCenter.

Saunders is survived by a wife and two daughters.

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Houston County High School football players take the field for a region game against Coffee High School on Friday, Oct. 17, 2025. This season, Houston County has outscored its opponents by an average of 26.9 points per game. (Courtesy of hocofootball.com)

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(Photo Illustration: Philip Robibero | Sources: Hyosub Shin for AJC, Unsplash)

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