Jason Whitlock has spoken out about ESPN’s firing of analyst Robert Griffin III and NFL Countdown host Sam Ponder, offering his own theory behind the surprising decision.
The station surprisingly fired the two presenters on Thursday, just a few weeks before the start of the NFL season. The double dismissal sparked accusations of “wokeism.”
The move came after Griffin and Ponder, who reportedly earned over a million dollars a year and had several years left on their contracts, spoke out about controversial Olympic boxer Imane Khelif – albeit with differing views.
ESPN was accused of former University of Kentucky Swimmer Riley Gaines of Ponder’s firing because of her criticism of transgender athletes.
However, sports columnist Whitlock suggests there may be more behind the double dismissal.
Jason Whitlock commented on ESPN’s dismissal of Robert Griffin III (R) and Sam Ponder (L)
Whitlock used X, formerly known as Twitter, to theorize that Griffin was collateral damage who took the fall to relieve pressure on the network over Ponder’s departure.
“Recently, Samantha Ponder and Robert Griffin III were both fired from ESPN,” Whitlock posted on the social media platform.
“I believe the reason they were fired at the same time is because ESPN wanted to silence the discussion about Ponder’s firing and get more Americans talking about RG3.”
Ponder, 38, recently posted a comment on X about the gender controversy surrounding Khelif, a boxer who is accused of having XY chromosomes.
“XY = male, XX = female,” wrote Ponder.
She will be let go after two years of her three-year, $3 million contract, but will receive her full salary, DailyMail.com has learned. In addition, the timing of the decision was dictated by the approaching end of the fiscal year on September 30, a source told DailyMail.com.
Griffin, on the other hand, took an opposing stance in the controversy over gender issues at the Olympics. However, the timing of his dismissal also raises the question of whether he was fired because of his own opinions.
“Imane Khelif is a biological woman and if you want to protect our daughters, you should protect her,” Griffin wrote on X about Khelif, who won gold at the Paris Olympics. “If you don’t do the research to find out the truth, we should be protected from you.”
Sports columnist Whitlock has suggested there may be more to the double etching
When contacted by DailyMail.com, ESPN declined to comment on the departure of Ponder or Griffin.
Ponder, a devout Christian and graduate of Liberty University and wife of former Minnesota Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder, has not commented publicly on her firing.
However, her former ESPN anchor Sage Steele stood up for her. Steele was among those who took to social media to express her opposition to biological men participating in women’s sports and had previously claimed that the broadcaster asked her not to talk about transgender swimmer Lia Thomas.
“This is another loss for ESPN, but literally a win for the rest of the world because now you’re going to see the real Sam Ponder,” Steele said in a social media clip on Friday.
“It will all come out, and I hope you are ready. She is a gem,” she continued.
Steele went on to talk about her friendship with her former colleague, with whom she shared a common faith.
“Samantha taught me so much about God, about scripture, about the Bible, about not giving up and staying strong. And you know what, she did that over the last few years at ESPN, even when it was tough,” she said.
“When I was still at ESPN, we talked about this all the time. And I want everyone to know that this is a brilliant woman, an incredible mother, who also made me an incredible mother, who also made me a better mother … and I’m so excited for her future. It’s so scary when you’re in the middle of it; you don’t know if you’re ever going to be OK again,” Steele continued.
Riley Gaines suggested Ponder was fired because of her opinions on trans women in sports
ESPN has not fired Kirk Herbstreit, whose comments about trans women in sports were applauded by Ponder during a social media exchange earlier this month
Ponder is married to former Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder (pictured). The couple has three children
Former SportsCenter host Sage Steele supported Ponder after her firing
“Sam already knows that this is a great blessing that God is giving her because there is still so much for her to do.”
Ponder was not the only ESPN personality to question the International Olympic Committee’s decision to allow Khelif to compete as a woman.
Kirk Herbstreit, a longtime college football commentator, was asked on X if “men belong in women’s sports,” to which he replied, “Of course not. Ridiculous question.”
Herbstreit was neither fired nor publicly reprimanded by the network for his comment, which Ponder welcomed online.
