Peter King supports Ed Warder.
King, a legendary NFL reporter now with NBC, slammed ESPN for parting ways with King, a longtime Cowboys reporter and former Sports Illustrated teammate.
“It’s hard to understand why ESPN would disrespect one of their best reporters, unless, of course, they have no interest in reporting.” King tweeted Friday morning.“Good luck @WerderEdESPN.”
Werder announced his shock departure from ESPN on Thursday. Long X Post This made it clear that he had not left of his own accord.
The 64-year-old’s contract expired and was not renewed. According to Pro Football TalkAnd he’s getting a head start on trying to land a new job.
This is the second time ESPN and Werder have parted ways, after the network fired him in 2017 and rehired him in 2019.
“For 26 years, I have had the privilege of covering the NFL and the Dallas Cowboys from behind the microphone for ESPN,” Warder wrote, “but that time is coming to an end, and I will immediately begin evaluating other opportunities to continue my work covering the NFL.”
Both King and Werder worked at Sports Illustrated for several years. King joins the magazine 1989 and Werder’s ESPN bio He said he worked at the store from 1987 to 1995.
The two have remained friends over the years and likely met at Cowboys games on numerous occasions, with Werder complimenting King on a photo he took with the late Chris Mortensen at the X earlier this year.
Both authors received the Bill Nunn Jr. Award. At the time it was called the Dick McCann Award. According to the award’s website, the recipient is given for “outstanding contributions to professional football through journalism over many years.”
“The two people who had the greatest impact on my journalism career, @mortreport and @peter_king, are both retired,” Werder wrote. “I couldn’t be more grateful for the opportunity to work with them and for the friendship of two selfless, honest people, two brilliant reporters and storytellers.”
Mortensen, the third member of this esteemed trio, died in March at age 72.
King’s support for his peers isn’t particularly surprising, especially since ESPN has come under fire over the years for parting ways with respected talent in favor of “hot take” programming.
Werder made it clear that he believes he still has a lot to contribute to a potential future employer.
“While this marks the end of my partnership with ESPN, I intend to continue my work because, as many studio hosts have asserted, and as I still wholeheartedly believe, ‘Ed Ward has more to offer,'” he posted.
