Linda Cohn's SportsCenter Streak Is Ending, And Her Legacy Is Truly Wild

Alright, Seattle sports fam, listen up. We gotta talk about a legend who's hanging up the mic. Linda Cohn, the absolute GOAT of SportsCenter anchors, is calling it a career. This isn't just some regular news desk shuffle, folks. We're talking about the longest-tenured SportsCenter host in ESPN history, and her final broadcast is slated for June 30. You know you've seen her face countless times, dropping the highlights and breaking down the games. It's gonna be wild to tune in and not see her there.

A Run Like No Other: Cohn's Unmatched SportsCenter Journey

Seriously, nobody has hosted more SportsCenter editions than Linda Cohn. She kicked off her ESPN journey way back in July 1992, hosting her very first show at 2 a.m. on July 11, 1992. Think about that longevity. She was still anchoring the late-night SportsCenter from Los Angeles until just last year, 2025. It’s insane! Back in 2016, she hit a mind-blowing 5,000th edition of SportsCenter. Five thousand! And if that wasn't enough, she got inducted into the National Sports Media Association Hall of Fame in 2017. Her career started even earlier, in 1981, as a radio news anchor and reporter on Long Island. This woman has been in the game for ages, consistently delivering the sports news we crave.

Fan First, Legend Always: Her Impact on and Off the Screen

What really sets Linda apart is her "fan first" mentali

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ty. She said it herself in a company release: "I’ve always said I was a fan first and I’ve always tried to keep that top of mind when I was doing SportsCenter or anything else." You could always feel that genuine love for the game in her broadcasts. But what she's most proud of, and honestly, what's truly inspiring, is seeing "little girls grow up watching SportsCenter, enter this business, and succeed in it." She hopes her journey made that path easier for them. And it did! Former ESPN colleague Britt McHenry confirmed it, tweeting that Linda was "the nicest, coolest and most genuine woman I worked with" and adding, "I was one of those girls, Linda." Not just a talking head, Cohn was a collegiate ice hockey goalie at Oswego (NY) State University, and she was always front and center for ESPN's hockey coverage. She did it all: hosted, reported, commentated, interviewed, wrote, and even called play-by-play. Oh, and you gotta hear this gem: she once told Rich Eisen about her favorite home run call idea, inspired by guys like Mark McGwire or Mike Piazza. As soon as a ball was clearly gone, she'd say, "Mike Piazza: master batter!" That's the kind of legendary, unscripted humor we're going to miss. So, get ready to raise a glass to Linda Cohn before June 30. Her final appearances will be on three SportsCenter editions on June 26, then one last time on the 30th. It’s the end of an era, and a huge shout-out to a true pioneer in sports media. We'll be watching, Linda!

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.