Mike Lupica’s future as the high-profile sports columnist of The Daily News was in doubt Wednesday when the tabloid laid off several sportswriters and its managing editor for sports.

The sports department was heavily hit on a day when people across the paper’s newsroom were fired. Mortimer B. Zuckerman, owner of The News, ended his efforts to sell the newspaper last month; it is said to be losing $20 million a year. The paper’s editor in chief, Colin Myler, resigned last week to return to London.

Lupica was reported by Politico to be on his way out after having been unable to renew his contract. But he and the newspaper declined to comment on whether negotiations were continuing. Last month, Lupica lost his daily afternoon radio show at ESPN Radio in New York.

Lupica began work at The News in 1977 and has been there ever since, except for yearlong stints at The National Sports Daily and New York Newsday. While primarily a sports columnist, he has frequently written about politics.

Bill Madden, the longtime national baseball columnist, was laid off, as were Filip Bondy, Wayne Coffey, Roger Rubin, Hank Gola and Stephen Lorenzo. Teri Thompson, the assistant managing editor for sports, was also dismissed. She oversaw the sports department’s investigations team.

Bondy, a columnist who wrote often about tennis, soccer and the Olympics, wrote on Twitter: “Just got laid off from a job for the first time since I was 17 years old. That’s a pretty good run.” Gola, who wrote about the N.F.L. and golf,said on Twitter: “After 22 yrs at the NYDN, I have been let go. Will survive but will dearly miss my pals. And I was off to such a hot start with my picks.”

A writer who lost his job but who asked that his name not be used said: “We all know that these are not exactly robust times for the newspaper industry so it’s hard to be surprised. Having said that, it was still a jolt to get the call today and even more of a jolt to see some of the names on the list. I’m not sure what their parameters or their rationale was.”

Staff members from other parts of the newsroom also posted news about being laid off. Ellen Tumposky, an editor, wrote on Twitter: “Axed today at the Daily News.” And Bill Hammond, a columnist and editorial board member, wrote: “Sad to report that today is my last day with the Daily News. It’s been a great 10 years and I work with great people.”