Robert Griffin III's Firing Prompts Strong Message From Paul Finebaum

ESPN college football analyst Robert Griffin III was recently fired from the network, leaving fans wondering what led to the abrupt decision.

A college football fan joined "The Paul Finebaum Show" on Friday and took the time to ask the 69-year-old analyst what happened to Griffin's relationship with ESPN.

The fans mentioned that he believes Griffin brought an enlightening angle to broadcasting, and Finebaum agreed, but the network still decided to cut ties with the former Heisman quarterback right before the 2024 season.

Finebaum shared his thoughts on Griffin, explaining that while he doesn't have much information on ESPN's decision, he respects Griffin's creativity in the broadcasting landscape.

"Everybody always thinks that people that sit in chairs like this don’t ever want to comment on it," Finebaum said. "I’ve got strong opinions on a lot of people I work with, and some of them might blow you away. The point being, I have no earthly idea… I know him pretty well. He was completely different than most of the paint-by-number analysts.”

Griffin joined ESPN in 2021, serving as an analyst for the network's college football and NFL coverage. He had a short stint with the program, and it seems many fans and former colleagues were shocked to hear of his sudden firing

Prior to his broadcasting career, Griffin won a Heisman trophy with the Baylor Bears in 2011 and then spent eight years in the NFL with the Washington Commanders, Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens from 2012-20.

He was able to bring a player perceptive to the booth, but it seemed ESPN decided to go a different route. Multiple reports revealed that the network's decision came down to budget cuts.

Nevertheless, Finebaum seemed to admire his analytical sense when the two were co-workers at ESPN.

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