Last night ESPN broadcast it's first ever NFL Playoff game without one of it's emotional and best known anchors. Stuart Scott had done just about everything at ESPN, including adding well known catch phrases into the popular lexicon.

In an emotional speech last year at the ESPYs, Scott talked about his thrice battle with cancer and how he fights it. "Fight like hell" he said. Unfortunately last night, he lost that battle. He was 49.

""ESPN and everyone in the sports world have lost a true friend and a uniquely inspirational figure in Stuart Scott," ESPN president John Skipper said in a statement.

Scott talked about his fight with cancer in a moving speech at the 2014 ESPYs.

"When you die, that does not mean that you lose to cancer. You beat cancer by how you live, why you live, and the manner in which you live," he said in the speech. "So live. Live. Fight like hell. And when you get too tired to fight, lay down and rest, and let somebody else fight for you."

Here's the full statement from ESPN:

Stuart Scott, a dedicated family man and one of ESPN’s signature SportsCenter anchors, has died after a courageous and inspiring battle with cancer. He was 49.

Scott is survived by his two daughters, Taelor, 19, and Sydni, 15; his parents, O. Ray and Jacqueline Scott; and his three siblings Stephen Scott, Synthia Kearney, Susan Scott and their families. His girlfriend, Kristin Spodobalski, was with Stuart and cared for him every step of the way and along with support from his loving family, close friends and colleagues, he went through several surgeries, chemotherapy, radiation and clinical trials to stay strong and ward off cancer for as long as humanly possible."

Stuart Scott was, as he liked to say, "cool as the other side of the pillow". Too young, too soon. RIP SS.

Kevin Winter/Getty Images
Kevin Winter/Getty Images
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