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ESPN cuts Robert Griffin III, Sam Ponder

Published

3 months ago

August 16, 2024

ESPN cuts Robert Griffin III, Sam Ponder

In the future after coming to Florida State’s protection in opposition to a colleague, Robert Griffin III has reportedly been fired from ESPN.

He is not the one one with FSU ties to be let go from the “Worldwide Chief in Sports activities” on Thursday. Samantha Ponder, spouse of former FSU quarterback Christian Ponder, additionally was fired in what The Athletic reported have been funds cuts.

Griffin’s ouster was essentially the most shocking, as he was fired with two years remaining on his contract. The 2011 Heisman Trophy winner from Baylor was not too long ago thought-about a rising star amongst soccer analysts, along with his pleasure throughout video games mirrored maybe solely by Tony Romo. Griffin was additionally energetic on social media, resulting in a latest scuffle with fellow ESPN character Paul Finebaum.

ESPN declined to remark concerning the firings to The Athletic and didn’t reply to Griffin’s feedback about Finebaum.

Robert Griffin III fired a day after defending FSU soccer from Paul Finebaum

Griffin’s time at ESPN gave the impression to be operating out after he was changed on “Monday Night time Countdown” with Jason Kelce earlier than this season. One other incident could have highlighted why the community determined to half methods with him.

On Tuesday, Finebaum appeared on a “First Take” phase and mentioned Florida State would end the season unranked partly due to a “hangover” from lacking the School Soccer Playoff final season.

“I feel they used too many tears crying about not getting within the playoffs, and that will gradual them down slightly bit this 12 months,” Finebaum mentioned on SportsCenter.

The next day, Griffin posted a retort on the social media web site previously referred to as Twitter. “Anybody who’s throwing shade at or attempting to take low-cost pictures at Florida State for being unnoticed of the School Soccer Playoff final 12 months have to be out of contact with actuality,” he wrote.

“The gamers on that workforce, the coaches, their households and the followers actually have been crying tears for one of the beloved gamers in all of faculty soccer in Jordan Travis,” he continued. “… That workforce must be CELEBRATED for what they pulled off down the stretch not mocked.”

Whereas he did not check with Finebaum by title, he actually did not shrink back from assertions that he was.

Griffin has one other tie to Florida State: His spouse, Grete Griffin, was on the FSU monitor and subject workforce from 2013-16. She set the college report for the pentathlon and heptathlon in 2015.

RG3 was taken with the No. 2 decide by Washington within the 2012 NFL Draft. He performed seven seasons within the NFL, his profession stagnated by accidents he suffered throughout his stellar rookie season.