ESPN has fired Robert Griffin III and Samantha Ponder, source says
Both moves were business decisions, the source said.
The 34-year-old Griffin, a Heisman Trophy winner and formerNFL quarterback, joined ESPN in 2021. He was regularly featured on programming but was set to be replaced by former Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce on “Monday Night Countdown” this upcoming season.
Griffin had two more years on his deal, the source said.
In a Thursday post on Instagram, Griffin found humor in the news with a video from the 1995 movie “Friday,” with the caption, “How you get fired on your day off?
Ponder, who has been with ESPN since 2011, has most recently hosted “NFL Sunday Countdown.”
CNN has sought comment from ESPN.
Griffin's tenure at ESPN, predominantly focused on sports analysis, was set for a change with Kelce taking over his role on "Monday Night Countdown". Despite having two more years in his contract, the shift in sports broadcasting apparently led to his departure.
