The sports world will be without two veterans in the game following their untimely passing heading into the upcoming 2024 football season.
A pair of longtime NFL reporters who have covered the league and other sports for many years have both passed away. The two men died just days apart, with the NFL season quickly approaching.
Veteran New Orleans sports reporter Ed Daniels, 67, passed away after suffering a heart attack while covering the Saints training camp in California earlier this month.
“Ed Daniels left the legacy of a lifetime, and I feel so fortunate for his influence in my career,” meteorologist Brooke Laizer wrote. “Having mentored me since visiting our @mcacubs class during high school, it’s still tough to fathom losing this absolute legend so soon. He will be beyond missed!”
The team honored the journalist with a billboard before their final preseason game.
Ed Daniels billboard pic.twitter.com/J5iURWr54y
— Rod Walker (@RodWalkerNola) August 21, 2024
New Orleans Lost 2 NFL Reporters Just One Week Apart
New Orleans has been made to deal with yet another media death since then, with Daniels’ longtime producer, Mark Deane, losing his life in a fatal car accident just one day after attending Daniels’ funeral.
Deane was 48 years old.
“This is a picture of Mark Deane, the WGNO sports producer who was killed in a motorcycle crash on the crescent city connection today. He was a beloved member of our team and will be sorely missed. This is a true tragedy and we ask for your prayers for Mark, his friends, family and co-workers,” WGNO said in a statement.
Mark Deane, a sports producer at WGNO who worked hand-in-hand with Ed Daniels, was killed in a crash this morning on the Crescent City Connection. Deane had attended Daniels’ funeral yesterday. https://t.co/UCpjatsUhb pic.twitter.com/UyMstThs7C
— FOX 8 New Orleans (@FOX8NOLA) August 23, 2024
Louisiana State Police arrested a driver for negligent homicide as part of their investigations into the crash.
This is quite a terrible turn of events as both deaths were unexpected, especially with the victims sharing such close ties.
Tributes have been flooding social media since the news of their passing broke.
Remembering Ed Daniels: Celebration of Life
Family, friends and colleagues gathered at Rock N’ Bowl to celebrate the life of longtime New Orleans Sports Broadcaster Ed Daniels. pic.twitter.com/Wb5hmqsAxx
— WWL-TV (@WWLTV) August 22, 2024
Rest well Mark Deane. You were such a good Brother! Our family @WGNOtv is hurting💔 pic.twitter.com/uifTzAwSOH
— LBJ📺📻 (@lbjnola) August 23, 2024
May they both rest in peace.
