Neil Everett caps 23-year run on ESPN with final SportsCenter appearance

Neil Everett has signed off from ESPN for good.

The 23-year SportsCenter anchor hosted his final "SC" on Friday alongside longtime partner Stan Verrett. The two hosted the late-night, 1 a.m. ET version of SportsCenter from Los Angeles together since 2009.

Everett's contract was not renewed, according to an ESPN spokesperson, as the network's parent company Disney is implementing cost-saving measures through all divisions.

"Well, this is the end of the line for me," Everett said Friday. "I'm not on social media, but Stan has told me that some of you have left some favorable tweets and I appreciate that. Because you do this to entertain you all and entertain yourself."

Verrett pulled out a portrait of the two sitting at their SportsCenter set desk. Prior to Everett's sign off, the show played a 90-second clip of Everett interviewing various sport luminaries such as Vin Scully, Sue Bird, Kareem Abdul-Jabar and others.

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Of course, there was also a callback to Everett's go-to catchphrase, "Bartender, Jack!"

Everett honored his broadcast roots by wearing a lei; the 61-year-old joined ESPN after 15 years as a local television reporter and anchor in Hawaii.

In 2020, Everett was inducted into the University of Oregon's School of Journalism and Communication Hall of Achievement.

For the past two years, Everett has worked on the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers studio shows.