Is Finebaum In or Out at ESPN?

The sports media world has been roiled by conflicting claims over whether ESPN has sidelined analyst Paul Finebaum following his recent tease of an Alabama Senate run..

On Monday, Clay Travis, founder of OutKick, posted on X:

“Per sources: Disney/ESPN has removed @finebaum from appearing on @ESPN since his @outkick interview expressing 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’ post was confirmed by On3’s Pete Nakos. But ESPN quickly pushed back, hard. Bill Hofheimer, ESPN’s Vice President of Communications, replied on X:

“This is not true at all. The below is TOTALLY FALSE.”

Travis immediately challenged Hofheimer to back his denial with evidence. He asked:

“Why wasn’t @finebaum on Sunday AM SportsCenter yesterday? Or First Take this morning? … I stand by my sources.”

The back-and-forth has created a “cloudy“ narrative, to say the least. Some have suggested ESPN may be testing alternate voices on flagship shows in case Finebaum opts for a political run—an understandable “cover” move for the network. Others see the possibility of a media double standard, given previous cases involving ESPN personalities and political speech.

So what do we actually know as of right now?

• Finebaum still appears in some formats. He continues with his own radio show, which is simulcast via SEC Network, and made recent appearances on SEC Network’s SEC Nation.
• ESPN says scheduled appearances remain. According to ESPN, Finebaum is still booked to appear on First TakeTuesday and on SportsCenter this coming weekend.
• Last week’s cancellations raise questions. Finebaum skipped his regular slots on Get Up and Sunday morning SportsCenter, which had drawn attention as deviations from past routines.
• The politics angle looms large. Finebaum recently told Travis he’s considering a Senate run in Alabama, calling the assassination of activist Charlie Kirk an “awakening.”

As of this writing, no independent verification confirms that ESPN has formally removed Finebaum from its flagship programming. ESPN itself says the reports are false. Meanwhile, the patterns of scheduling and absence suggest something has shifted—though it remains unclear whether it’s the beginning of a media purge, a voluntary pullback by Finebaum, or something in between.

The only thing certain at this point is that the public record is messy. The truth may lie in internal emails, executive edicts, or contractual stipulations that none of us have yet seen. For now, both Travis and ESPN are standing firm—while Finebaum’s audience, as well as those of us who follow Alabama politics, are left to watch, wait, and wonder.