Longtime ESPN Reporter Michele Steele Announces Departure After 14 Years

Longtime ESPN reporter and SportsCenter anchor Michele Steele announced she is leaving the network after 14 years, with her final day set for August 1. Steele reflected on her diverse career at ESPN, which included assignments in Bristol, Boston, and Chicago, as well as coverage of major events like Monday Night Football, the National Spelling Bee, and the Warrior Games. She began her ESPN journey in 2011, transitioning from reporting on Wall Street and working at Bloomberg Television and Fox before joining the sports network. Steele expressed gratitude for the storytellers and producers she worked alongside and emphasized the importance of career flexibility, noting she is now taking her own advice to "walk through open doors" as she looks to new opportunities. Her departure follows a series of notable talent exits from ESPN in recent years, amid significant company changes. While Steele has not yet disclosed her next steps, she plans to network at the Asian American Journalists Association event in Seattle.