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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