The ESPN family is mourning the loss of one of their own, Zach Jones, following his death on Sunday, December 22. He was 41.
“ESPN lost one of our own yesterday, research manager Zach Jones,” SportsCenter anchor Randy Scott announced during the Monday, December 23, broadcast.
Scott revealed that after a “two-year fight with colorectal cancer that had metastasized before his diagnosis,” Jones passed away.
“You may have never seen him on your screens, but you saw his work on our live golf coverage, our women’s college basketball coverage or on any of our SportsCenter shows,” the journalist continued. “He came here in 2010 as a researcher and joined the management team of the stats and information group in 2018.”
Scott got tears in his eyes while detailing Jones’ most important legacies, which were not tied to his work at the sports-focused network.
“More important than that, he got married here. He started a family here. The Stanford [University] graduate loved The Cardinal, and he loved golf,” Scott said, getting choked up on camera. “He loved his wife, Amber, and he loved his son Silas. He turned 10 last month. He lost his dad three days before Christmas.”
The anchor recalled seeing Jones “just a couple of weeks ago” in the cafeteria, noting he was “hopeful” and “reflective,” telling him, “He just wanted his family to be OK after a recent move to Texas.”
Scott explained that Jones “fought like hell” during his cancer battle and “he gets to rest now.” He signed off by saying, “We love you, buddy” and sharing a photo of his late coworker with his family.
Scott shared the SportsCenter clip via X on Monday, calling Jones, “Our friend, Amber’s husband, and Silas’ dad.”
Fellow SportsCenter anchor Kevin Negandhi also paid tribute to their friend via social media.
“May you rest in peace Zach. A devoted dad who loved golf, the Chargers and his family,” he wrote via X on Monday. “He was a fantastic researcher and had the perfect demeanor for TV. He will be missed by so many. Sending all of our love to his wife, son and their family. F— cancer.”
ESPN colleague Gregg Colli commented on Negandhi’s post, replying, “Zach was the best. The original fantasy football researcher who handled a ridiculous volume of work with a smile and no complaints. He was as good a human as it gets. Cancer Sucks!”
