One of ESPN’s most beloved broadcasters has some good news.
Jay Harris revealed on back on June 5 that he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. The news shocked many, as Haris, 60, has become synonymous with "SportsCenter"; he anchored his first SC broadcast in May 2003, a month after joining ESPN. Since then, he’s hosted "Outside the Lines," "NFL Live," "Baseball Tonight", and the network’s NBA Finals coverage.
At the time, Harris, 60, was optimistic about his diagnosis. He said he would undergo surgery in less than a week and would be away from the "SportsCenter" desk during his recovery.
And in his first update since the operation, he said everything went well and he’ll be back sooner than we think!
ESPN's Jay Harris gives update after cancer diagnosis: "It’s All Good"
“You good? Yeah, me too,” said Harris on a video he uploaded earlier this week.
Hi! Just posting an update. Appreciate y’all!#FightCancer #SeeYouSoon pic.twitter.com/mTyJe2Emwx
— Jay Harris (@JayHarrisESPN) June 23, 2025
While rocking a “Nature Boy” Ric Flair t-shirt, Harris relayed that his doctor said “the surgery went really well. So well, in fact, that the cancer that was in my prostate stayed there, didn’t spread to any surrounding areas.
When the surgeon removed Harris’s prostate, he took the cancer with him. “So it’s all good,” he said.
“There are other details I won’t bore you with,” he added. “The main thing is, we’re all good, and I’m looking forward to July 12, getting back to SportsCenter and getting back to work. Just home, resting up, chilling.”
Harris told his fans, followers, and supporters that he appreciated all the “prayers and the thoughts and the messages and the calls and the deliveries. Thank you so much. Appreciate all the love, and I will holler. Take care. Peace!”
On the same day that Harris revealed his cancer diagnosis, ESPN Front Row published an essay about his family history with the disease and why he spoke out about his condition.
“Prostate cancer disproportionately affects Black men. My dad had a bout with prostate cancer, which he won,” wrote Harris. “I’m 60. It’s something I’ve always been cognizant of, and my doctor and I talk about it every annual visit. And I’m sharing it all with my 26-year-old son. Maybe I’m oversharing at times—lol—but he needs to know.”
“After receiving my diagnosis, I had some very meaningful talks with my fellow 'SportsCenter' anchors Hannah Storm and Brian Custer, both of whom have dealt with cancer,” he added. “Their support has been extremely helpful. And my longtime friends at the V Foundation for Cancer Research have given me wonderful guidance.”
Harris felt the need to go public with the diagnosis because he wanted to “normalize this conversation and hopefully provide a bit of guidance and preparation.” He recalled going on a golf trip with buddies and bringing up “what was going on with me.”
It opened these “middle-aged dudes” up to “having some real talk” about taking care of their health.
“Prostate cancer has impacted so many people,” he wrote at the end of his essay. “Consider that the American Cancer Society estimates there will be more than 310,000 new cases of prostate cancer in 2025. If I can use my voice to help anyone in that number, that’s what I want to do.”