Paul Finebaum has been removed from all ESPN appearances by parent company Disney.
The news was first reported by Outkick’s Clay Travis and confirmed by AL.com.
Travis cites the move was made after Finebaum’s interview with Travis where he expressed interest in running as a Republican for senate in Alabama.
“ESPN has canceled all network appearances on all shows, including some that have occurred for a decade plus,” Travis reports.
Bill Hofheimer, the vice president of ESPN, took to social media to call the report “totally false.”
As Outkick pointed out, Finebaum has continued to host his radio and TV show, “The Paul Finebaum Show,” which airs on the SEC Network and ESPN Radio. Additionally, Finebaum took his usual spot on “SEC Nation” on Saturday morning.
However, Finebaum didn’t make his usual appearance on Sunday’s “SportsCenter,” nor did he appear on Monday’s “First Take.”
Last week, Finebaum, it was revealed, is considering a run for the U.S. Senate in Alabama.
The SEC Network analyst said in the exclusive interview that the Charlie Kirk assassination made him rethink his priorities.
“I spent four hours numb talking about things that didn’t matter to me. And it kept building throughout that weekend,” Finebaum, 70, told Travis. “I felt very empty doing what I was doing that day.”
Finebaum, a graduate of the University of Tennessee, spent more than 30 years as a sports columnist for the old Birmingham Post-Herald and as the host of his popular sports-talk show, which aired on WERC and later on WJOX.
In August 2024, ESPN and Finebaum agreed to a multi-year contract extension.
“I consider myself incredibly blessed to be a member of this talented team at ESPN and get to do what I do on a daily basis,” Finebaum said at the time. “I’d like to thank everyone at ESPN, as well as our loyal listeners and viewers, for their continued support.
He launched “The Paul Finebaum Show” on ESPN Radio in 2013 and the accompanying SEC Network simulcast in 2014.
Beyond his duties on “The Paul Finebaum Show” and as a commentator on SEC Network’s Saturday college football show, “SEC Nation,” Finebaum contributes on a variety of ESPN shows, including “Get Up,” “First Take,” “SportsCenter,” “College Football Live” and more.