ESPN fires Sam Ponder, who spoke up about trans inclusion in women's sports, and analyst Robert Griffin III

ESPN fired Samantha Ponder and Robert Griffin III on Thursday.

The Athletic first reported the shake-up and ESPN confirmed the news to Fox News Digital. Ponder was anchor on "Sunday NFL Countdown" and Griffin was an analyst who appeared on multiple shows.

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Ponder didn’t immediately comment on the decision. Griffin joked on X about getting fired on his day off, using a clip from the movie "Friday."

The decision to fire Ponder sparked most of the outrage on social media. Riley Gaines, the host of OutKick’s "Gaines for Girls" podcast, and former ESPN anchor Sage Steele were among those to defend Ponder.

Ponder was among the tiny group of personalities who called for fairness in women’s sports amid the ongoing debate over transgender inclusion in women’s sports. She also defended Kansas City Chiefs’ Harrison Butker for his faith-based speech at Benedictine College.

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A source familiar with Ponder and Griffin’s firings told Fox News Digital they were business decisions. Griffin was off of "Monday Night Countdown" in favor of the network's new hire, former Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce, and was still going to receive his full salary for a low-profile college football show. Ponder’s lone show was "Sunday NFL Countdown."

The source added that Ponder and Griffin will still get what they are owed in their contracts.

Ponder joined ESPN’s Longhorn Network in July 2011 and moved up the ranks as the host of one of the company’s top NFL shows.

Griffin, who played several seasons in the NFL, joined ESPN in August 2022. He was an analyst on "NFL Live" and a college football analyst. He joined "Monday Night Countdown" in 2022.

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