Robert Griffin III was fired from ESPN last summer under unclear circumstances amid questions about the media house’s financial strategies. Griffin’s sudden departure also led to questions about his future, as he found himself without a job in the week leading up to the first full slate of college football games.
The 35-year-old played for eight years in the NFL and won the Heisman Trophy as the quarterback at Baylor after the 2011 season before he entered broadcasting. The analyst was sacked along with Samantha Ponder last summer, with two years remaining on his contract.
Robert Griffin III Surprised by Sudden Sacking
Griffin told the Rich Eisen Show a week after his firing from ESPN that he was surprised to be fired from his multiple roles as a color commentator for the network during football games and an analyst on morning shows and Monday Night Countdown.
The 35-year-old who had already been assigned a team also revealed that he was surprised at the sudden firing.
Griffin, who last played an NFL game in 2020, became famous as a broadcaster for his flashy style and creative quips that usually went viral. The former quarterback was widely tipped as a rising star at ESPN last year.
He had two years remaining on his deal, which he signed when he was hired in 2021. Griffin also attracted interest from Fox before committing to ESPN.
RGIII’s ESPN Exit Tied to Network’s Cost-Cutting Measures as He Joins Fox
Shortly after Griffin’s unexpected exit from ESPN last year, several reports revealed that he was fired as a cost-cutting measure toward the end of ESPN’s fiscal year last September.
In June 2023, ESPN relieved about 20 big names of their duties, including stalwarts like Jeff Van Gundy, Suzy Kolber, and Jalen Rose. Griffin’s seven-figure-per-year salary likely played a role in the decision to fire him, although his salary would be paid for the rest of his contract, which had two years to run when he was fired.
The 35-year-old subsequently worked on Netflix’s NFL broadcast last Christmas, but he is now expected to join Fox Sports for its college football coverage.
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Griffin is set to replace Brock Huard on the network’s No. 2 team, as Huard is leaving his post to coach his son’s high school football team. Although no contract has been signed as of this report, the deal is expected to go through, and Griffin will partner with play-by-play man Jason Benetti in his new role.
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