ESPN rocked the sports world after firing sports commentator Sam Ponder and analyst Robert Griffin III, more commonly referred to as RG3. Ponder worked as an anchor on “Sunday NFL Countdown.” She had joined the company’s Longhorn Network in 2011 and has since worked her way up as a prominent Christian voice on the network, having graduated from Liberty University and has often spoken out against transgender athletes in female sports. RG3 had been with the network 3 years and still had two years left on his contract, making his and Ponder’s firing appear political to some, despite ESPN framing it as a budgetary decision. RG3’s role had been downsized after the network’s hiring of Jason Kelce.

Ponder has not publicly responded to the firing, but RG3 took to social media to joke about being fired on his day off. He stated on X on Sunday that he would have more answers for fans soon. “As I sit here with my family on this beautiful day, we are overwhelmed with the outpouring of love and support from you guys over the last past 72+ hours. YOU GUYS ARE THE ABSOLUTE BEST,” he wrote. He stated he would be following up on his YouTube channel with more information.

Ponder had recently been critical of the inclusion of Imane Khelif in the women’s boxing division during the Olympics. Khelif allegedly had previously been prevented from participating in women’s boxing due to testing for XY chromosomes, a biological male. RG3 had pushed back against criticism of Khelif, citing Khelif’s diagnosis as “intersex” or “disorders of sex development” (DSD). Riley Gaines, another strong advocate against transgender athletes in female sports, spoke out against Ponder’s firing. “So ESPN fires @samponder, the only woman at the network who was publicly said men don’t belong in women’s sports,” wrote Gaines.  “3 weeks before football season? Sam is one of the most beautiful, genuine women I’ve ever met along with @sagesteele who had a similar fate….not a coincidence.” Sage Steele, who was fired from the network in 2021, also voiced her support for Ponder. “This is another loss for ESPN, but it is a gain for literally the rest of the world because now you’re going to see the true Sam Ponder,” she said. Sports columnist Jason Whitlock stated he believed the two firings were related. “Recently, Samantha Ponder and Robert Griffin III were both fired from ESPN,” he wrote on X. “I think the reason they were fired in conjunction is so that ESPN could mute the conversation around Ponder’s firing and have more of America talking about RG3.”