Iconic 'Outside the Lines' Host Bob Ley Announces ESPN Retirement After 40 Years

Longtime ESPN host Bob Ley announced Wednesday he's set to retire from the sports network at the end of June following 40 years with the company.

Ley became known for his professionalism and reliance on traditional journalism as the host of ESPN's investigative show, Outside The Lines.

Those qualities were more prominent in recent years as sports television focused more on debate-style programs like First Take and less on old-school broadcasts like OTL.

"Conscience" is the word that popped up most often from his ESPN colleagues.

"From the day he started to almost 40 years later now, Bob Ley has been our conscience," Chris Berman told Bryan Curtis of The Ringer last July.

Jay Bilas sounded a similar tune after Wednesday's news became public.

"The most respected voice at ESPN," Bilas wrote on Twitter. "Bob Ley has always been the conscience of sports journalism."

Ley last hosted Outside The Lines in September:

Along with OTL, the 64-year-old New Jersey native and Seton Hall alumnus also worked as a SportsCenter anchor and often served as the network's studio host for soccer coverage, including at the 2010 World Cup and the 2011 Women's World Cup.

Among his numerous honors include winning a Sports Emmy for Outstanding Sports Personality as a Studio Host last year.