Mike Greenberg is shortly approaching on his 29-year anniversary at ESPN. But according to him, perhaps none of the great work he has done in recent years would be possible without a procedure he underwent in March of 2023 that he says has completely transformed his life.
In March of 2023, Greenberg underwent a minimally invasive procedure to treat his condition of atrial fibrillation. He was first formally diagnosed with that condition, otherwise known as an irregular heartbeat, in 2015. But he seemingly dealt with impacts from the condition for years before that.
Thankfully, Greenberg was back at work just one week after the 2023 procedure. But in a recent conversation with Jenna Limoncelli of The New York Post, Greenberg offered some insight into just how bad his case was.
“At first, it was manageable with meds, I was on beta blockers and used a ‘pill-in-the-pocket’ approach,” said Greenberg. “It worked — until it didn’t.”
Greenberg, who is now 57 years of age, recalled how in his mid-40s, how he would feel his heart racing while sitting on the couch, likening how it felt “sprinting on a treadmill”.
“I was in my mid-40s, I was just sitting on my couch and suddenly felt my heart racing up in the 160s or 170s,” Greenberg said. “Imagine sprinting on a treadmill, that was my heart rate while sitting. The episodes became more frequent. The meds didn’t stop them anymore. I’d lay awake at night feeling my heart race, frustrated and scared.”
Ultimately, Greenberg sought out a second opinion on how he could properly treat his condition. That eventually led to the procedure he underwent. And Greenberg credits that for huge improvements for him.
“That second opinion changed my life,” Greenberg said. “I met with Dr. Cheung, who said I was a good candidate. We scheduled the procedure around my ESPN schedule, right between NFL free agency and the NBA playoffs. I had the procedure on a Monday, slept in my own bed that night and was back to work the following Monday. Within three weeks, I was working out again. And since then — no episodes. It’s been transformational.”
With Greenberg’s clean bill of health after the procedure came more ambition to do more at ESPN in addition to his longstanding role as the host of Get Up. Over a year later, he would be named the host of Sunday NFL Countdown, a role that he believes is the “highlight of his career”.
“I didn’t have the Sunday Countdown job yet in spring 2023, but I do now,” said Greenberg. “It’s the highlight of my career, and I couldn’t have taken it on without having that procedure.”
Even after over three decades in the sports media realm, Greenberg remains grateful to continue on as one of the biggest personalities at ESPN, something that he says he “always dreamed of”.
“I’ll be 58,” Greenberg said. “That means I’ve spent half my life at ESPN. Mind-boggling. But I’m grateful I have the job I dreamed about as a kid. I hope I never take it for granted.”
About Reice Shipley
Reice Shipley is a staff writer for Comeback Media that graduated from Ithaca College with a degree in Sports Media. He previously worked at Barrett Sports Media and is a fan of all things Syracuse sports.