Life’s unpredictable, and former NFL player and analyst Robert Griffin III just found that out the hard way. He began a promising broadcasting career after the NFL, but ESPN suddenly fired him on August 15, 2024. This was not just a demotion, but it put a brake on his broadcasting career, and that too before the start of the college football season.

While college football is kicking off today, August 24, 2024, he can’t hold his excitement and made a tweet celebrating college football’s return. “College football is more than just a game,” emphasizing that it is tradition, passion, and pride that bring communities and generations together. He also noted that this is where the crowd’s cheers and the nation’s passion meet, creating moments that turn ordinary Saturdays into legends. “College Football is Back Baby,” he added. 

The tweet strongly highlights what football means to Griffin. Throughout his career, the former Heisman Trophy winner played a total of seven seasons as a QB in the NFL, recording 9,271 passing yards and 43 touchdowns with 30 interceptions. After spending his seasons with the Commanders, Browns, and Ravens, he joined ESPN in 2021. Very soon, he became a prominent analyst in programs like “Monday Night Countdown,” and college football broadcasts. 

However, he was fired along with his colleague Sam Ponder by ESPN due to cost-cutting measures. Just a year ago he was considered for ESPN’s No. 2 college football game analyst, but the role went to Greg McElroy and Griffin was pushed to the sidelines. Not only this, the Eagles’ center Jason Kelce replaced him in the Monday Night Countdown show as well.

GR3’s three-year contract was worth more than $3 million, with more than two years remaining when he was let go in August 2024. His annual salary was more than $1 million, so despite his leave from Aspen, he still received compensation for the remaining time on his contract.

Robert Griffin III’s response to ESPN departure

Losing a job is never fun, and when you’re Robert Griffin III, working for a big network like ESPN, it’s even more stressful because the whole world is watching. But RG3 showed a great way to handle this tough situation. When reports surfaced that Griffin and his colleague Sam Ponder were being fired, he shared a meme on X that was truly epic.

He made light of the situation by sharing a funny clip from the 1995 movie Friday where actor John Witherspoon scolds her son (Ice Cube) and asks “How the hell you gonna get fired on your day off?” for being fired from his job. And then Ice Cube answered, “I don’t know.”

But after a few hours, he thanked ESPN, writing, “Thankful for so many people in my time at ESPN that helped me grow because they are some of the best in the business.” Griffin explained that the people who work in the studio and broadcast booth, often behind the cameras, are the real MVPs for their hard work and sacrifices.

Griffin’s immense love and respect for the game and his work is evident in his recent tweets. Despite his departure from ESPN, his heart still beats for football. The future is uncertain, but one thing is clear, Robert Griffin III is not going anywhere. His passion and knowledge have earned him a special place in sports media, and he could probably be back on screen in a new role soon.

Beside this, explore Chris Gronkowski’s story on the Dual Threat Podcast with Bug12. Episode you must listen to!