Overview
- Front Office Sports reports Finebaum is very close to leaving ESPN to pursue a Republican bid for a U.S. Senate seat in Alabama, a move he first discussed with OutKick’s Clay Travis.
- An announcement is being weighed for late January or February following the Jan. 19 national title game, with Alabama GOP qualifying set for Jan. 5–23 and the primary on May 19, 2026.
- Finebaum declined to address the reports when contacted by AL.com, steering conversation back to college football topics.
- Tommy Tuberville’s run for governor could create an open Senate seat, and Bruce Pearl has indicated he will not enter the race, narrowing the potential field.
- His ESPN deal runs through mid-2027, the network declined comment, and prior tensions surfaced after his OutKick interview where he cited Charlie Kirk’s assassination as a catalyst for considering politics.