Will Cain didn’t feel stifled during his time at ESPN

Will Cain left ESPN for Fox News in 2020 to talk more politics but admits he did not feel stifled during his time at the Worldwide Leader.

Last month, Charly Arnolt announced she was leaving ESPN for OutKick, which Fox owns. According to Arnolt, one reason for the move was that she was “stifled” by ESPN, citing hypocrisy in the company’s ‘Stick to Sports’ policy. Arnolt joined the latest episode of The Will Cain Podcast, and during their conversation, Cain discussed the freedom he was given during his time at ESPN.

“People often ask me about my experience at ESPN, and I didn’t feel, Charly, while I was there, stifled,” Cain admitted. “Now I may have been a unique outlier at ESPN where I was given a level of freedom, or embraced, or allowed to go in places that maybe a lot of other people weren’t comfortable going, but I left ESPN when I did because was interested in talking about things that I knew were outside the purview of sports. I was ready to embrace not just sports but politics.”

During Cain’s five years at ESPN, he was the network’s afternoon radio host from 2018-2020 and a frequent contributor to First Take alongside Stephen A. Smith and Max Kellerman.

“I actually have fond feelings and memories from my time at ESPN; I really enjoyed it,” Cain added later in the podcast. Arnolt echoed that sentiment but reiterated her belief that certain opinions are not welcome there.

Arnolt cited the country’s direction since Cain left ESPN in 2020, mentioning vaccine mandates and the politicized topic of transgender athletes. Arnolt said she was uncomfortable with ESPN tributing Lia Thomas during Women’s History Month. But Cain’s tenure at ESPN was not devoid of tense topics. Cain was at ESPN during Donald Trump’s presidency; he was there when Colin Kaepernick took a knee for social justice, the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the murder of George Floyd, and NASCAR’s noose investigation.

During the comprehensive podcast interview, Cain asked Arnolt whether ESPN told her to avoid sharing her opinion on topics where sports and politics intersect or if she didn’t feel liberated to speak honestly about those issues. According to Arnolt, she was uncomfortable sharing an opinion that may not have aligned with the common perception at ESPN.

“I always play it very safe; I have learned in this business it’s better to play it safe,” Arnolt said. “Even in terms of just tweeting out something so innocent-seeming. If it ever occurs to me, ‘How might someone interpret this?’ I just delete it, and I don’t send it out. So imagine trying to talk about these larger issues that you know are super charged up.”

Preferring not to challenge the status quo is not an irrational mindset, as it’s common for people to feel more comfortable working alongside like-minded individuals. But while Arnolt may have felt “stifled,” it’s worth noting that ESPN didn’t force her to avoid sharing an opinion they did not endorse. Cain, however, routinely offered opinions and viewpoints that probably weren’t going to be supported by ESPN.

[The Will Cain Podcast]