ESPN named Chris Connelly interim editor-in-chief Wednesday afternoon. He'll be taking over Bill Simmons' duties after ESPN decided to not renew the popular writer's contract.
Excited to be joining @grantland33 as interim editor-in-chief. Hoping to continue the great work of Bill Simmons and this superb staff.
— Chris Connelly (@ChrisConnelly) May 27, 2015MORE: Simmons not appearing on any ESPN platforms | Where will Bill Simmons go?
“We are thrilled to have a journalist of Chris’ caliber join us on an interim basis as we go forward and build on the smart, fun, adventurous, creative, unexpected and vital spirit of Grantland,” Marie Donoghue, ESPN’s executive vice president, global strategy and original content, said in a statement. “Chris has been an award-winning journalist and storyteller in sports, music and pop culture for over three decades, and as a longtime contributor at Grantland, he appreciates the incredible team we have assembled.”
It's not clear how long Connelly's interim status will last. ESPN needed to find someone to replace Simmons since, as Sports Illustrated confirmed, he'll make no more appearances on any ESPN outlet. He left a strong legacy at Grantland that Connelly will seek to maintain.
“Bill Simmons had the vision to create Grantland, and his leadership, ideas, and inspiration made it singularly great," Connelly said in a statement. "I’m looking forward to helping the writers, editors, and producers on this amazingly talented staff create more of the outstanding work for which they’ve rightly become known."
Connelly has been a contributor to other ESPN products such as "E:60" and "Outside The Lines." He's also been on ABC News and spent more than a dozen years with MTV before joining ESPN in 2001.