Overview
- Front Office Sports reports Finebaum is very close to leaving ESPN for national politics, with his current contract running through mid-2027.
- Finebaum told OutKick he is considering a Republican bid for the U.S. Senate from Alabama and said Charlie Kirk’s assassination prompted his reassessment.
- He intends to wait until after the Jan. 19 national title game to decide, with outlets citing a late January or early February window; Alabama GOP qualifying runs Jan. 5–23 for a May 19, 2026 primary.
- Sources say ESPN briefly pulled him from some studio shows after his OutKick interview before returning him to air, and the network declined comment.
- Tommy Tuberville’s run for governor could open the seat as Attorney General Steve Marshall and Rep. Barry Moore position in the field, while GOP voices quoted by Fox News question Finebaum’s viability even as he notes he is a registered Republican who voted for Trump.