Paul Finebaum on 'First Take' previewing the UNC Tar Heels' first season under Bill Belichick Photo Credit: ESPN
By Sam Neumann on

ESPN is pushing back against reports that Paul Finebaum has been pulled from the network’s programming after expressing interest in running for U.S. Senate.

Outkick’s Clay Travis reported Monday morning that Disney and ESPN removed Finebaum from appearing on ESPN programming after his interview expressing interest in running for the U.S. Senate as a Republican. Travis claimed the network canceled all of Finebaum’s appearances, including spots he’s held for over a decade.

The New York Post reported that a source told the outlet that Finebaum had previously been scheduled to appear on First Take on Tuesday and SportsCenter on Saturday this week, and that has not changed.

WBRC’s Jonathan Hardison reported that an ESPN source stated the claims aren’t true and that Finebaum will appear on First Take on Tuesday in a previously scheduled appearance. The source also stated that the network is attempting to provide more exposure to other college football commentators if Finebaum runs for office.

Sports Business Journal‘s Austin Karp also reported Finebaum was never banned from ESPN and is scheduled for First Take Tuesday morning, having been on the schedule for a while.

ESPN’s Bill Hofheimer, the network’s vice president of communications, called Travis’ initial report “TOTALLY FALSE” on social media.

The confusion stems from Finebaum’s noticeable absence from certain ESPN programming following his Outkick interview with Travis. Finebaum didn’t appear on Get Up last Thursday or Sunday’s SportsCenter, where he typically discusses college football action. However, he did appear on SEC Nation Saturday and continued hosting his daily show on the SEC Network.

Travis pointed to the timing of Finebaum’s absences, questioning why the college football analyst wasn’t on ESPN’s flagship shows after one of the biggest weekends of the college football season.

Finebaum announced last week he’s seriously considering running for Alabama’s open U.S. Senate seat in 2026 as a Republican. The seat is currently held by Tommy Tuberville, who is running for governor. During the Outkick interview, Finebaum revealed he’s a Trump supporter and voter, and said if Trump publicly backed him, he’d have no choice but to run.

The situation has drawn comparisons to Stephen A. Smith, who has discussed a potential presidential run as a Democrat without facing apparent consequences from ESPN. Travis specifically highlighted this contrast in his reporting.

ESPN has already acknowledged that Smith’s contract allows him different rules when it comes to his non-ESPN projects, which creates a perception of a double standard regardless of ESPN’s denials about Finebaum.

Finebaum’s pending Tuesday appearance on First Take should provide clarity on the conflicting reports.

About Sam Neumann

Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.

View all posts by Sam Neumann