Stephen A. Smith Reveals the Real Reason Behind Robert Griffin III’s Firing by ESPN

RGIII has a bone to pick with ESPN. He did get fired from the media company last year. Perhaps that is why when Mina Kimes appeared on ESPN’s Around the Horn on Wednesday to let her thoughts known about the uproar surrounding MLB star Jackie Robinson, the former QB apparently took shots at her and the network.

The Department of Defense recently took down and then re-posted an online feature about Robinson’s military service, even including the letters “DEI” in the new link. This prompted Kimes to argue on ESPN that Robinson’s courage in the face of racial discrimination shouldn’t be “erased, and it must be recognized to fully understand and celebrate his legacy.”

Not far removed from his firing at ESPN, Griffin took to X, moments after Kimes’ ESPN appearance to post what has since become a viral tweet, simply noting “Sports shows on TV should be about sports, not politics.” He clarified his stance later, but the words were pretty pointed not to be misconstrued. And Stephen A. Smith seems to have drawn the same conclusion.

During the latest broadcast of The Stephen A. Smith Show, Griffin’s former coworker informed his viewers that he believed the retired QB was “tap dancing” around the topic at hand. In claiming that Griffin is still “bitter” about his removal from ESPN, the ever-controversial Smith called him out directly.

“The people at ESPN didn’t like you, bro. They didn’t like you. You know the names. I said names as plural and do you know why I can say that to you RGIII? Because I’m not one of those people. I actually loved you on First Take… The bosses will tell you that I wanted them to keep you. But, just because I’m the executive producer… It doesn’t mean that I get to keep you on the show.”

In reality, Griffin’s removal from the network had little to do with politics or personal differences, but rather the cost-cutting measures of ESPN. In awarding the likes of Smith and other analysts with massive contracts, the network was forced to let others go, with Griffin being one of them. Griffin was said to have earned $1 million per year from his last-ever ESPN contract.

Regardless of what has been said on social media since the initial announcement of Griffin’s firing, the player-turned-analyst was nothing but a class act in the immediate days following his release.

Maintaining that he had an “attitude of gratitude,” the second-overall pick of the 2012 NFL Draft thanked ESPN for giving him his first opportunity following his retirement in 2020.

“To go to ESPN, have an opportunity to be on iconic shows, having the opportunity to be on Monday Night Countdown with iconic crews with Suzy Kolber, Steve Young, Booger McFarland, and Adam Schefter, and then be a part of the revamping of the show with Scott Van Pelt, Ryan Clark and Marcus Spears is something that I’ll never take for granted.”

Having described the experience as a “banner moment” for his career, the former Heisman trophy winner is still in search of his next network deal. Griffin currently provides independent NFL coverage through his various social media accounts while hosting his podcast, Outta Pocket with RGIII.