Linda Cohn may be closing the book on one of the most iconic careers in sports television history, but she has no intention of slowing down.
After spending 34 years at ESPN and becoming the network’s longest-serving “SportsCenter” host, Cohn announced this week that she is stepping away from the global leader in sports. While many fans saw the news as the beginning of his retirement, Cohn says that’s far from the truth.
Instead, the Hall of Fame broadcaster is preparing for a new venture that she says will give her something she’s rarely experienced during her decades in television: complete creative freedom.
“I’m excited for what’s next”
Speaking after announcing his departure, Cohn made it clear that he is embracing the future rather than mourning the end of his career at ESPN.
“I’m excited about what’s next and I’m not sad about what’s going to end,” Cohn said.
He explained that his next project, which is expected to be officially announced next month, will allow him to go beyond traditional sports coverage into topics including entertainment, music and pop culture, while maintaining the authentic personality that viewers have come to know.
Cohn also plans to expand his work through speaking engagements, social media, digital content creation, and his growing YouTube channel.
Far from disappearing from the public eye, she believes fans will see her more than ever.
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Retirement is not the right word
Although ESPN described the move as a retirement, Cohn doesn’t see it that way.
She emphasized that she still has a lot to achieve and wants to continue using her platform to encourage future generations of broadcasters, especially young women hoping to enter sports media.
“I don’t want people to see the word retirement and think I’m going off into the sunset,” Cohn said.
He hopes the next stage of his career will allow him to continue sharing his experiences and proving that careers don’t have to end just because a chapter closes.
If she is best remembered for helping inspire women to pursue careers in sports broadcasting, Cohn says she would consider it one of her greatest accomplishments.
The movement that changed everything
Cohn admitted that the idea of leaving ESPN first occurred to him after the company moved. sports center operations from Los Angeles back to Bristol, Connecticut.
Having built a life in Southern California with her daughter Sammy, the unexpected move forced her to reconsider what she wanted professionally.
Instead of retiring immediately, Cohn signed a one-year extension that allowed him additional time to evaluate his future while finishing his career on his own terms.
Now, looking back, he believes it was exactly the right decision.
A career based on perseverance
Long before becoming one of ESPN’s defining personalities, Cohn had to overcome obstacles that extended far beyond the television studio.
She has openly spoken about growing up with low self-confidence after being bullied as a child because of her thick glasses.
Sports became both an escape and a passion.
When she entered broadcasting, she constantly felt the need to prove that her knowledge was equal to anyone else’s in an industry overwhelmingly dominated by men.
That determination fueled his rise from local radio in Patchogue, New York, to becoming one of the most recognizable faces in sports television.
Beat ESPN
Even after arriving at ESPN in 1992, success didn’t come automatically.
Cohn recalled being called into her bosses’ office just two years into her tenure and told that while everyone appreciated her knowledge, they wanted viewers to see more of her on-air personality.
At the time, he admits he intentionally tried not to stand out.
He dressed conservatively, concentrated perfectly on reading the highlights, and constantly worried about saying or doing the wrong thing.
Over time, she learned to trust herself.
As her confidence grew, so did her popularity with viewers, helping transform her into one of ESPN’s signature personalities for more than three decades.
Sports have always been personal
For Cohn, sports have never just been a profession.
Growing up on Long Island, he spent countless hours attending New York Rangers games with his father and experienced every harrowing Giants season with his family.
Those memories finally came full circle when he attended both of the Giants’ Super Bowl victories over the previously undefeated New England Patriots, sharing one with his brother and the other with his son, Dan.
Those moments, he says, remind him why sports have always been woven into his family’s history.
More than just a SportsCenter anchor
During her distinguished career at ESPN, Cohn became much more than a news anchor.
She served as a host, reporter, interviewer, writer, play-by-play announcer and one of the faces of ESPN’s memorable “This Is SportsCenter” commercials.
A former college hockey goalie at SUNY Oswego, she has also become one of the network’s most recognizable hockey voices in recent years.
Her contributions were recognized in 2017 when she was inducted into the National Sports Media Association Hall of Fame.
ESPN President Burke Magnus called Cohn “a legend” whose impact on the network extends far beyond what viewers saw on television.
A final approval
Cohn’s last day sports center will feature appearances on the 6 pm, 10 pm and 11 pm ET editions, ending one of the longest and most influential runs in sports broadcasting history.
While it marks the end of an era at ESPN, Cohn insists it’s just the beginning of something new.
Take TMSPN
Very few stations become synonymous with a network like Linda Cohn became synonymous with sports center. Her longevity, credibility and ability to evolve over more than three decades helped pave the way for countless broadcasters who followed her. His record for greatest sports center appearances can last for generations.
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