Paul Finebaum is known for his provocative opinions in the realm of college football, particularly in the SEC. Recently, his statements in the political arena have led to reports about his status with ESPN.
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On an episode of the OutKick podcast, host Clay Travis and "the Voice of the SEC" discuss Finebaum's career as an analyst. Halfway through the episode, the conversation takes a political turn when Finebaum talks about Charlie Kirk and his potential aspirations for office. He mentions considering a run for Senate for former Auburn football coach Tommy Tuberville's old seat.
"I've never said this before, but why am I going to hold this back? I just moved and registered in Alabama, but I am a registered Republican in North Carolina as of this hour. And I was a registered Republican in Alabama before I moved."
It seems that, as of today, Finebaum may have more time to plan that campaign.
Travis Reports That Paul Finebaum Has Been "Removed"
Travis shared the following news on Oct. 6 on his X account:
"Per sources: Disney/ESPN has removed @finebaum from appearing on @ESPN since his @outkick interview expressing interest in running as a Republican for Senate in Alabama. ESPN has canceled all network appearances on all shows, including some that have occurred for a decade plus."
Although the news has been independently confirmed by On3 Sports and AL.com, ESPN Vice President Bill Hofheimer took to X to deny Travis' reporting, stating: "This is not true at all. The below is TOTALLY FALSE."
Adding to the confusion, Finebaum was notably absent from his usual SportsCenter Sunday morning recap segment, as well as from Get Up on Thursday. However, he did appear Saturday on the SEC Network, which is also owned by ESPN.
ESPN Is Being Accused of Bias
Many outlets have been quick to point out that another ESPN analyst, Stephen A. Smith, has made it known that he has considered running for U.S. President in 2028. We reported the news back in April.
"I have no desire to be a politician, but I've decided that I'm no longer going to close that door," said Smith. "I'm gonna keep my options open. I'm going to entertain the possibility. If it comes in late 2026, 2027, where I look at this country and think it's an absolute mess and there's legitimate reason to believe... that I indeed have a legitimate shot to win the presidency of the United States. I am not going to rule it out."
No action was taken against Smith for his statement, fueling the accusations of bias against ESPN. However, not all the facts are in on this story, so stay tuned.
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