After a remarkable 34-year run at ESPN, Linda Cohn is preparing to step away from the SportsCenter desk for the final time.
The longtime broadcaster will officially retire on June 30, bringing an end to one of the network’s most enduring careers.
With Cohn retiring after more than three decades behind the SportsCenter desk, it is also an opportunity to take a closer look at her family as she begins a new chapter away from the spotlight.
Linda Cohn’s married life and children
In 1980, while still attending college at SUNY Oswego, Linda Cohn married Stew Kaufman, whom she had met during her student years. The couple remained together for nearly three decades and raised two children, daughter Sammy and son Dan Kaufman.
Their marriage came to an end in 2008 after 28 years. Following the split, reports linked Cohn to professional hockey coach Matt City, with whom she later had a long-term relationship that reportedly lasted around 11 years.
However, Cohn later reflected on the breakdown of her marriage in her book, Cohn-Head: A No-Holds-Barred Account of Breaking Into the Boys Club.
“I thought I loved Stew and I said ‘I love you’ to him frequently. I had to admit that, emotionally, I was always holding a little bit back,” she wrote.
Kaufman, meanwhile, never publicly discussed the reasons behind the divorce and largely stayed out of the spotlight as he moved on with his life.
Linda Cohn’s childhood
Linda Cohn was born on November 19, 1959, in Long Island, where her passion for sports began at an early age. Much of that enthusiasm was nurtured by her father, a devoted sports fan who frequently watched games with her and helped cultivate her love for athletics.
As a teenager, Cohn’s mother played a key role in supporting that passion by enrolling her in a hockey league.
Despite being older than many of her teammates, Cohn competed alongside boys in the sport she enjoyed most, gaining valuable experience and confidence along the way.
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Over the years, Cohn has repeatedly credited both of her parents for helping shape her path to success.
In numerous interviews, she has spoken about their encouragement and support, describing their influence as a major factor in her rise to become one of the most recognizable figures in sports broadcasting.
