Jeannine Edwards retiring after two decades at ESPN

Originally hired by ESPN in 1995 as a horse racing analyst, Jeannine Edwards has decided to retire rather than accept a new contract offer, she and the network announced this week.

The Cotton Bowl game Friday in Dallas will be the final assignment during a career that included plenty of memorable moments. Edwards made sure to point one out specifically.

“That interview and that whole moment of seeing a Triple Crown winner was a long time coming, and I’m happy it happened during my career,” she said of a conversation with trainer Bob Baffert after American Pharoah hit the wire in the 2015 Belmont Stakes.

In addition to her ESPN duties, Edwards regularly hosts the Eclipse Awards set for next month. No word yet on whether she'll continue in that capacity.

Edwards is married to Oklahoma State defensive coordinator Glenn Spencer.

“It wasn’t easy, and I still can’t believe I’m saying the word ‘retire,’ but I felt the time was right," she said. 

“...When anyone gets of a certain age and your parents are elderly, I think you maybe start to rethink your priorities, so that’s what I’ve been doing the last year or so,” she added. “We’re both struggling to find the time to be there for our families who need us most right now.”