ESPN fired Samantha Ponder and Robert Griffin III on Thursday.
The Athletic broke the news, and ESPN confirmed it to Fox News Digital. Ponder anchored "Sunday NFL Countdown," while Griffin was an analyst on several shows.
Ponder hasn't commented yet. Griffin joked on X about being fired on his day off, using a clip from the movie "Friday."
Ponder's firing caused the most outrage on social media. Riley Gaines, host of OutKick’s "Gaines for Girls" podcast, and former ESPN anchor Sage Steele defended her.
Ponder was one of the few voices advocating for fairness in women’s sports during the transgender inclusion debate. She also supported Kansas City Chiefs' Harrison Butker for his faith-based speech at Benedictine College.
A source told Fox News Digital that Ponder and Griffin’s firings were business decisions. Griffin was replaced on "Monday Night Countdown" by Jason Kelce but will still get his full salary for a lower-profile college football show. Ponder only had "Sunday NFL Countdown."
The source also mentioned that Ponder and Griffin will still receive what they are owed in their contracts.
Ponder started with ESPN’s Longhorn Network in July 2011 and rose to host one of the top NFL shows. Griffin joined ESPN in August 2022 as an analyst for "NFL Live" and college football, later joining "Monday Night Countdown" in 2022.