ESPN made a series of stunning personnel decisions on Thursday.
Robert Griffin III and Sam Ponder have been let go by the network, The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand first reported.
RG3 had been demoted from his analyst role on “Monday NFL Countdown” this season after the network hired retired Eagles center Jason Kelce.
He had also been working as a color commentator on ESPN’s college football coverage before the surprise move.
Griffin had been at ESPN for three years and still had two years left on his deal.
One potential quick landing spot for Griffin would be NFL Network’s “GameDay Morning” studio show, as the program still has not hired a replacement for Michael Irvin.
Griffin won the Heisman Trophy in 2011 at Baylor and was the second overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft.
He led Washington to first place in the NFC East and won the Offensive Rookie of the Year, but his career was never the same after suffering a torn ACL in a wild-card playoff game against the Seahawks.
Here is the latest on ESPN’s personnel decisions
- Riley Gaines floats theory about ESPNer’s firing: ‘Not a coincidence’
- Robert Griffin III’s wife responds to his shock ESPN firing
- ‘It’s all gonna come out’ after ESPN fires Sam Ponder: former host
- Robert Griffin III’s shock ESPN firing giving him ‘Friday’ vibes
- ESPN fires two big names in stunning NFL shakeup
After three years in Washington, he was a backup for the Browns and Ravens, with his final NFL season coming in 2020.
Ponder had been at ESPN since 2011 and had served as the host of “Sunday NFL Countdown” since 2017.
Ponder has been outspoken on social media speaking out against transgender athletes competing in women’s sports.
Griffin and Ponder’s exits have been characterized as budgetary decisions occurring before the fiscal year concludes at the end of September.
While both of them still had time left on their contracts, these moves allow ESPN to write off the expenses right now.