Robert Griffin III has reportedly been dismissed from ESPN just a day after he defended Florida State’s football team against a colleague, Paul Finebaum. This decision comes alongside the termination of Samantha Ponder, the wife of former FSU quarterback Christian Ponder, amid what The Athletic described as budget cuts at the network.
Griffin’s firing was particularly unexpected given that he had two years left on his contract. The 2011 Heisman Trophy winner from Baylor had recently emerged as a promising football analyst, known for his animated commentary during games, reminiscent of Tony Romo’s style. His active engagement on social media included a recent clash with Finebaum.
ESPN has refrained from commenting on the firings and did not address Griffin’s remarks about Finebaum. The dispute escalated when Finebaum suggested that Florida State would struggle this season due to a “hangover” from last year’s missed College Football Playoff. Griffin countered Finebaum’s comments on social media, defending Florida State and criticizing those who belittled the team’s emotional response to not being selected for the playoffs.
In addition to his connections with FSU — his wife, Grete Griffin, was a member of the track and field team — Griffin was drafted second overall by Washington in the 2012 NFL Draft. He played for seven seasons in the NFL, although his career was marred by injuries encountered early on.
Samantha Ponder, another high-profile dismissal, previously hosted “NFL Countdown.” She is known for her marriage to Christian Ponder, who played quarterback for Florida State from 2007 to 2010 before being selected 12th overall by the Minnesota Vikings in the 2011 draft, where he also had a four-year career.