Robert Griffin III Breaks Silence on ESPN Firing: "Thankful for So Many People"

On Aug. 15, 2024, news broke that ESPN had parted ways with several of its popular on-air talents. Among those fired was analyst Robert Griffin III (RGIII).

The former NFL quarterback, who had recently been viewed as a promising figure at ESPN, had two years remaining on his deal with the network.

So, what happened? Why did RGIII get fired by ESPN? Let's find out.

According to The Athletic, RGIII was fired by ESPN as part of a cost-cutting strategy, with the network approaching the end of its fiscal year in September. The 2012 Pro Bowler was reportedly earning over seven figures.

The first indication that RGIII was leaving ESPN came when he was removed from Monday Night Countdown, the prime pregame show he had been part of for two years. During this year's offseason, ESPN hired former Eagles center Jason Kelce to take his place.

Shortly after 3 p.m. EST on Aug. 15, RGIII took to X (formerly Twitter) and posted a clip from the movie Friday, seemingly commenting on the news. The brief video features the character Willie Jones asking, "How the hell you gon' get fired on your day off?!"

Later that same day, RGIII shared a lengthy post confirming his departure from ESPN.

"Thankful for so many people in my time at ESPN that helped me grow because they are some of the best in the business," he wrote on X. "From the broadcast booth to the studio and ESPECIALLY the people many of you never see behind the camera.

"They are the REAL MVPs and sacrifice so much time with their families just to ensure people like myself in front of the camera even have the opportunity to shine." He added, "There were so many awesome experiences and moments that my family and I will never forget from the last three years."