Early Life and Education

Britt McHenry was born in May 1986 in Mount Holly Township, New Jersey. She spent her early childhood there before moving to Florida, where she attended Satellite High School in Satellite Beach. An accomplished student-athlete, McHenry played soccer at Stetson University, where she was a member of the school’s Division I team, the Hatters. After graduating from Stetson in 2007, she pursued a master’s degree at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. While still a student at Medill, she began gaining hands-on experience by reporting in the Chicago area.

Broadcast Journalism Career

Following her graduation from Northwestern, McHenry began her professional journalism career at WJLA-TV, the ABC affiliate in Washington, D.C. There, she served as both a sports reporter and occasional anchor for NewsChannel 8. Her on-the-ground sports coverage quickly gained recognition for its clarity and depth.

In 2014, McHenry joined ESPN, where she operated primarily out of the network's Washington bureau. She became a regular contributor to multiple flagship programs including NFL Live, SportsCenter, and Baseball Tonight. Among her notable assignments was coverage of the 2014 NFL Draft, during which she interviewed first-round pick Blake Bortles. She also conducted a widely viewed interview with NHL star Sidney Crosby. Her reporting style and on-camera presence earned her recognition in the competitive field of sports media.

Viral Controversy Involving Verbal Incident

In April 2015, McHenry was at the center of a widely publicized controversy after surveillance footage surfaced showing her engaged in a verbal altercation with a towing company employee. The video, initially posted on LiveLeak, captured McHenry exhibiting rude and disrespectful behavior, including personal insults directed at the employee’s appearance and background. The incident reportedly occurred after McHenry’s car was towed from a parking lot in Arlington, Virginia.

Following public backlash, ESPN suspended McHenry for one week. In response, she issued multiple public apologies via social media, expressing regret for her words and acknowledging her behavior as inappropriate. ESPN stated that they considered the disciplinary action sufficient, and the towing company involved clarified they did not wish to see McHenry lose her job over the incident.

After serving her suspension, McHenry resumed her role at ESPN, with one of her first assignments covering an NHL Stanley Cup playoff game between the Washington Capitals and the New York Islanders.

Private Life and Social Media Presence

McHenry maintains a relatively private personal life, rarely disclosing details about her relationships or family. While she is active on social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram, where she frequently posts images with friends and from work events, she avoids sharing information related to her romantic life. Her professional use of social media focuses primarily on sports coverage, opinion pieces, and public appearances.