Brenkus had been dealing with depression, according to an announcement of his death on social media.
John Brenkus discusses his podcast ‘Brink of Midnight’ in New York City in 2017.Daniel Zuchnik / WireImage file
John Brenkus, host and co-creator of ESPN’s “Sport Science,” died on Saturday, according to an announcement made on his X account Monday night. He was 54.
The Emmy-award winning host had been dealing with depression, the statement said.
“John lost his fight with this terrible illness on May 31st, 2025,” the post read. “His heartbroken family and friends request privacy at this time, and encourage anyone who is struggling with depression to seek help.”
Brenkus was also the founder of Brinx.TV and co-founder of Base Productions.
Brenkus opened up about his depression and suicide attempt to Marcellus Wiley, ESPN colleague and former NFL player, in January 2023. He said that when he was living in Park City, Utah, after selling his company and “Sport Science,” he felt isolated and spiraled into a “deep, deep depression.”
“I was flat out suicidal,” Brenkus said. “So much so, I had a noose tied around my neck. I was ready to do it.”
Brenkus credits his dog, Zepplin, with rescuing him by tugging on his jeans and pulling him out of his “suicidal funk.” The sports host then explained seeing multiple different psychologists and psychiatrists trying to receive help, until one doctor in Virginia helped him find the “right path.”
“I have never been depressed since, a day in my life, from that moment forward,” Brenkus said at the time.
Wiley reposted the announcement of Brenkus’s death, writing “RIP” with praying and heart emojis.
Brenkus’s “Sport Science” series aims to uncover “sports’ biggest myths and mysteries by using cutting-edge technology to measure momentum, friction and the laws of gravity,” as ESPN describes. The series won six Emmy awards, first airing on FOX Sports in 2007 before moving to ESPN.
In a tribute on ESPN, Brenkus was described as “an innovator, an entertainer and an educator” who will be missed by many.
News
“A Billionaire Installed Hidden Cameras to FIRE his maid —But What She Did with His Twin Sons Made Him Go Cold…
The silence in the Reed mansion was not peaceful; it was heavy. It was a silence that pressed against the…
“Stay still, don’t say anything! You’re in danger…” The homeless girl cornered the boss, hugged him, and kissed him to save his life… and his life.
The wind in Chicago didn’t just blow; it hunted. It tore through the canyons of steel and glass on LaSalle…
The Billionaire Hid in a Closet to Watch How His Girlfriend Treated His Ill Mother — What He Witnessed Made Him Collapse in Tears
The estate of Leonardo Hale sat atop the highest hill in Greenwich, Connecticut, a sprawling expanse of limestone and glass…
At my daughter’s funeral, my son-in-law stepped close and whispered, “You have twenty-four hours to leave my house.”
The rain in Seattle was relentless that Tuesday. It wasn’t a cleansing rain; it was a cold, gray curtain that…
My Daughter Abandoned Her Autistic Son. 11 Years Later, He Became a Millionaire, and She Returned to Claim the Cash. But My Nephew’s 3-Word Advice Saved Us.
The rain in Seattle doesn’t wash things away; it just makes them heavier. That’s how I remember the day my…
“She Deserves It More Than You!” My Mom Gave My Inheritance to My Aunt While I Slept in a Shelter. Then My Billionaire Grandpa Arrived with the Police.
The wind off Lake Michigan in January is not just cold; it is a physical assault. It finds the gaps…
End of content
No more pages to load
