What happened to Stuart Scott? Rich Eisen pays tribute to late ESPN host in emotional return

Rich Eisen returned to ESPN’s SportsCenter this week after being away for more than two decades. While Eisen departed the network to join NFL Network in 2003, he stepped back behind the anchor's desk on Monday night. Fans celebrated Eisen’s return; they also wondered about the whereabouts of Stuart Scott, Eisen’s former co-anchor and close friend.

Scott, who died in 2015 at 49 after a long battle with cancer, was one of the most recognized and beloved figures in ESPN history. According to ESPN, he brought a fresh style, a passionate approach and that innate ability to engage people.

Collectively, Eisen and Scott have been part of one of SportsCenter’s all-time duos, fondly remembered for their chemistry, humor, and rapport.

Rich Eisen's tribute to Stuart Scott "We all know, there should be someone else right here in this chair next to me" pic.twitter.com/w433bDGb9k

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Stuart Scott died in 2015 after battling appendiceal cancer for years. Appendiceal cancer is a rare cancer in the U.S., affecting under 1,000 people a year. Scott was first diagnosed with appendiceal cancer in 2007 after an emergency surgery.

Scott had multiple recurrences of the cancer in 2011 and 2013. Even with his health challenges, Scott not only remained a staple at ESPN, but also covered the NBA, NFL, and other big properties.

Towards the end of his show on Monday, Eisen seemed to get a little emotional as he reflected on his friend and coworker. ESPN aired a compilation of the classic commercials Eisen and Scott did together, and then Eisen talked straight to the camera. His voice cracking, Eisen, said:

"[Scott] should be in that chair, with me, with us, tonight."

A look into Stuart Scott's retirement and health struggles

In July 2014, mere months before he passed away, Stuart Scott delivered one of his most memorable public moments when he accepted the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance at the ESPY Awards. In that moment he said:

"You beat cancer by how you live, why you live, and in the manner in which you live."

According to USA Today, Scott's battle with cancer led to the establishment of Stuart Scott Memorial Cancer Research Fund, by ESPN with the V Foundation for Cancer Research, which works to improve treatment outcomes for Black Americans and underserved communities who experience a disproportionate amount of cancer and to fund underrepresented researchers.

Stuart Scott's family and his daughters Taelor and Sydni, have stated that his resilience and optimism defined his legacy just as much as his time on-air.

Sydni Scott discussed how even during the toughest days in the hospital, her father was always trying to make the mundane, like eating cereal together, or watching movies, feel special.

"Chemotherapy days were the best time to hang out with him. We had a routine that involved sugary boxed cereal and ginger ale with the lights dimmed – so we could say it was like watching a movie in the theater or a TV show in the family room," Sydni Scott told USA Today.

While Eisen's return to SportsCenter was a homecoming, it was also a representation of what made the show famous during its heyday. Eisen has built a successful television career at NFL Network, and while he relished the reunion with ESPN, he was at the same time carrying the hurt from Scott's absence.