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Shelley Smith is back to work at ESPN after beating cancer

By Russell Johnson

Aug 24, 2013; Jacksonville, FL, USA; ESPN reporter Shelley Smith interviews Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick (7) after the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Field. The Philadelphia Eagles beat the Jacksonville Jaguars 31-24. Mandatory Credit: Phil Sears-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 24, 2013; Jacksonville, FL, USA; ESPN reporter Shelley Smith interviews Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick (7) after the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Field. The Philadelphia Eagles beat the Jacksonville Jaguars 31-24. Mandatory Credit: Phil Sears-USA TODAY Sports /
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ESPN sports correspondent Shelley Smith is back after beating breast cancer

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Seven months after tweeting that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer, ESPN sports correspondent Shelley Smith is back to work at ESPN. She took a six-month leave of absence to undergo chemotherapy and today is her first day back at work.

She’s back just in time for NFL Draft coverage, and as a University of Oregon alum and former captain of the women’s soccer team there, she is in Hawaii covering QB Marcus Mariota. She will be shooting a pre-draft NFL feature on the quarterback, as well as interviewing him after he’s drafted.

Shelley Smith is a winner of a Sports Emmy for her segment on Magic Johnson, and the William Randolph Hearst Award for her series on Title IX in the Bay Area. She’s also authored two books, Just Give Me the Damn Ball and Games Girls Play: Lessons to Guiding and Understanding Young Female Athletes.

She works with several charity organizations and she serves on various committees for the Boys and Girls Club. She’s been working for ESPN for over thirty years. Shelley Smith has received a warm welcome from all over the sports world with reporters, analysts, and others tweeting out “welcome backs” with the hashtag #ShelleyStrong trending on Twitter.

After her coverage of Marcus Mariota, she will return for a final round of precautionary chemotherapy in May before fully returning to work.

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