Paul Finebaum recently expressed his surprise and confusion over the sudden firing of Robert Griffin III from ESPN, a move that has left many in the sports community baffled. During a segment on his show, The Paul Finebaum Show, Finebaum addressed a caller who voiced their disagreement with Griffin’s departure, admitting that he himself had “no earthly idea” why the decision was made.
“It was a big surprise to nearly everyone,” Finebaum remarked, reflecting the sentiment of many who were caught off guard by the news. He added, “Everybody always thinks that people that sit in chairs like this don’t ever want to comment on it. I mean, I’ve got strong opinions on a lot of people I work with, and some of them might blow you away.”
Finebaum further clarified that if he had any insider knowledge about Griffin’s firing, he would be open to sharing it, but he emphasized that Griffin was “completely different than most of the paint-by-number analysts,” highlighting the unique perspective Griffin brought to his role at ESPN.
The news of Griffin’s firing came as a shock, especially considering his established presence on ESPN, where he had been a prominent figure on Monday NFL Countdown for two seasons, as well as contributing to college football and NFL analysis across the network. Griffin’s firing coincided with that of Sam Ponder, the longtime host of Sunday NFL Countdown, just weeks before the start of the NFL regular season.
Finebaum’s remarks came on the heels of a tense exchange earlier in the week, when Griffin appeared to indirectly criticize Finebaum for comments made about Florida State during a First Take segment. Finebaum had suggested that Florida State might be hindered by their emotional response to being left out of the College Football Playoff, saying, “I think [Florida State] used up too many tears crying about not getting in the playoffs. That may slow them down a little bit.”
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Griffin took to X (formerly Twitter) to push back against what he perceived as insensitive remarks, writing, “Anyone who is throwing shade at or trying to take cheap shots at Florida State for being left out of the College Football Playoff last year must be out of touch with reality.” Griffin emphasized the difficulty Florida State faced after losing their starting quarterback to injury, and how their resilience should be celebrated, not mocked.
Although Griffin didn’t name Finebaum directly, the timing of his post led many to speculate that the former quarterback was calling out the ESPN host. Just two days later, Griffin was let go by the network—a move that, while likely a coincidence, certainly caught the attention of fans and commentators alike.
Griffin’s departure also came amidst the hiring of former Eagles center Jason Kelce, who is set to join Monday NFL Countdown, effectively bumping Griffin from his position. Despite having two years remaining on his ESPN contract, Griffin found himself out of a job, with reports from The Athletic suggesting that both his and Ponder’s firings were part of budget cuts at the network.
In the wake of his firing, Griffin expressed gratitude for his time at ESPN and the support he received from fans. “There were so many awesome experiences and moments that my family and I will never forget from the last 3 years,” Griffin wrote on X. He also acknowledged the crucial role fans played in his career, both as a player and a broadcaster, stating, “What people sometimes fail to realize is none of this is possible without you guys, the FANS. So THANK YOU to everyone who has supported my family through my playing days and broadcast career so far. We love you guys and will continue to seek and defend the truth while telling athletes’ stories the right way.”
As the dust settles, the sports community is left to wonder about the real reasons behind Griffin’s firing and what his next steps will be in his broadcasting career. Meanwhile, Finebaum’s comments underscore the sense of uncertainty and surprise that continues to surround Griffin’s sudden exit from ESPN.
