ESPN Fires Robert Griffin III, Sam Ponder

ESPN has fired Robert Griffin III and Sam Ponder, The Athletic reported on Thursday. More details about the shocking decisions are located below.

ESPN Fires Robert Griffin III

Per The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand, ESPN has fired Griffin. The 34-year-old was working as a football analyst for the company.

Griffin signed a multi-year contract with ESPN in August 2021 to become a college football analyst and NFL Live panelist. In 2022, Griffin replaced Randy Moss on Monday Night Countdown.

Griffin contributed to Get Up and served as a college football analyst during games, working with play-by-play announcer Bob Wischusen.

Griffin reportedly made more than seven figures annually. The former Heisman Trophy winner also had two years left on his contract. Griffin’s salary will be honored, per Marchand.

ESPN Fires Sam Ponder

ESPN also fired Ponder, the host of Sunday NFL Countdown.

Ponder joined ESPN in 2011 as a sideline reporter for the Longhorn Network. She has been the host of Sunday NFL Countdown since 2017.

Like Griffin, Ponder’s salary also surpasses seven figures. Marchand notes that Ponder predominantly works on Sunday NFL Countdown, which airs during the football season. With most of the year off, ESPN “generally reserves these types of schedules” for the marquee names, such as Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, and Peyton Manning.

Mike Greenberg and Laura Rutledge are being eyed to replace Ponder.

Per Marchand, these are budget moves, with the fiscal year ending at the end of September. No more cuts will be made today. However, more employment decisions could happen between now and the end of the fiscal year.