Denver Broncos

Chris Mortensen got the Peyton scoop and his competition loved it

Published Mar. 6, 2016 10:18 a.m. ET

Kerouac Smith

An important piece of news came out Sunday -- and it was only partly Peyton Manning's impending retirement announcement on Monday.

Chris Mortensen is once again breaking big NFL news and his friends and competitors couldn't be happier.

Mortensen, a senior NFL Insider for ESPN, has been getting treatment for Stage 4 throat cancer since mid-January.

Then out of nowhere, he scooped everybody on Manning's retirement news on Sunday morning after staying off Twitter since a Jan. 16 post.

Suffice to say, this is one time everybody in the business was happy to get beat on a story. Here's some of the reaction:

Happy for Peyton Manning riding off on his own terms... happier that @mortreport kicked my ass on this story!
— Jay Glazer (@JayGlazer) March 6, 2016

You can bank it from Mort! RT @mortreport: Filed to ESPN: Five-time NFL MVP Peyton Manning will (cont) https://t.co/2zOVgveIV8
— Jay Glazer (@JayGlazer) March 6, 2016

Mort scoopage while on the comeback trail!!! https://t.co/qnc2EvpJhS
— Alex Marvez (@alexmarvez) March 6, 2016

There it is. And good to hear from ya, Mort. https://t.co/hqgSDfFAm1
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) March 6, 2016

So happy to see @mortreport with Manning retirement story.
— Pete Prisco (@PriscoCBS) March 6, 2016

Very cool to wake up this morning to see @mortreport breaking big NFL news on my timeline.
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) March 6, 2016

Love seeing @mortreport being Mort breaking this news! Congratulations Peyton on a career that increased the position 4 others to follow!
— Brian Dawkins (@BrianDawkins) March 6, 2016

Have stronger emotion about @mortreport being the one to the break the Manning news than the fact that Manning is retiring.
— Melissa Jacobs (@thefootballgirl) March 6, 2016