Adam Schefter Saddened by Death of Beloved ESPN Colleague

ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter is mourning aftet he loss of a colleague at the network.

The family of "Sport Science" host John Brenkus announced his death on Sunday, revealing that he died the day prior.

Brenkus' family noted "profound sadness" in their statement, noting that John had been dealing with depression and ultimately succumbed to it.

Schefter responded directly to the statement on social media, saying that the situation was "incredibly sad."

"John was so good at what he did. Sincerest condolences to his family and friends. Rest in peace, John," said the NFL insider.

This is incredibly sad. John was so good at what he did. Sincerest condolences to his family and friends. Rest in peace, John.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) June 2, 2025

Brenkus was best known as the creator and host of "Sport Science," which aired for three seasons. Initially airing on Fox Sports Net regionally around the country, ESPN aired the show its third season after picking it up.

Brenkus did not make new episodes of "Sport Science" after joining ESPN, but the concept was used several times throughout other shows on the network and during live event coverage.

The show aimed to display the strength, speed, reaction time and other incredible abilities of professional athletes by quantifying them through science. 

Some episodes examined how humans would perform against their animal counterparts, while others looked into severe weather and other major altering events that have taken place at previously to adjust the outcome of games.

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill was the last current player to appear on the show, as Brenkus attempted to quantify his incredible speed. "Sport Science" paved the way for some of the analytics-based broadcast elements we see today, as fans have a deeper understanding of the game and how it's played.

That understanding is reflected in advanced stat tracking and a deeper analysis on math, probability and chance. Some broadcasts even feature win probability based on events that have taken place, which seems to be a successor to some of the experiments Brenkus conducted on his show.

"Sport Science" was a fan favorite for multiple generations of sports fans, who are now saddened by the death of the show's creator.

Rest in peace to John Brenkus, and we send condolences to his friends, family and loved one as they navigate this difficult time.