ESPN’s Voice of the SEC just crossed a line the network never saw coming.
Paul Finebaum shocked the sports world by revealing one thing after Kirk’s assassination changed everything.
And Paul Finebaum used two words about Charlie Kirk that could end his ESPN career.
ESPN host reveals Charlie Kirk’s assassination changed everything
The 70-year-old SEC Network personality told OutKick’s Clay Travis that Charlie Kirk’s assassination on September 10 fundamentally changed his perspective on life and his career priorities.
"I spent four hours numb, talking about things that didn’t matter to me. And it kept building throughout that weekend," Finebaum explained. "I felt very empty doing what I was doing that day."
The longtime ESPN host described Kirk’s murder as "an awakening" that affected "tens of millions of people all over this country."
Kirk’s assassination struck Finebaum differently than other major news events he’d covered over his decades in sports media.
Following that tragic weekend, Finebaum received calls from "one or two people in Washington" gauging his interest in running for political office – something he’d never seriously considered before.
The timing couldn’t be more significant for Alabama politics.
Tommy Tuberville’s departure creates perfect opening
Senator Tommy Tuberville announced earlier this year that he wouldn’t seek reelection to the Senate, choosing instead to run for Alabama governor.
Tuberville, who coached Auburn from 1999 to 2008, gave his blessing to a potential Finebaum candidacy, telling Steve Bannon that Finebaum "would be a force in the race if he decided to run for Senate."
"I’ve known Paul Finebaum a long time. He’s smart and loves this country," Tuberville said. "He’s got 100 percent name ID in Alabama. He’d have a lot of big people behind him. He would be a force in the race if he decided to get into it."
That name recognition represents three decades of Alabama sports coverage that made Finebaum a household name throughout the state.
Finebaum spent roughly three decades covering college sports in print and broadcast in Alabama, with his radio show serving as a fixture of Alabama sports coverage during the University of Alabama’s college football dynasty.
But there’s more to Finebaum’s story than just sports commentary.
Finebaum comes out as Trump supporter despite ESPN pressure
For the first time publicly, Finebaum revealed he’s a registered Republican who voted for President Trump in 2024, despite ESPN telling employees "not to discuss that."
"I’ve never said this before, but why am I going to hold this back? I just moved and registered in Alabama, but I am a registered Republican in North Carolina as of this hour. And I was a registered Republican in Alabama before I moved," he told Travis.
The revelation exposes the political pressure ESPN places on its personalities.
Finebaum also revealed that ESPN killed his planned Trump interview in 2019, when the President was set to attend the Alabama-LSU game.
"I called my boss, and they killed it," Finebaum said. "I was devastated."
The decision came despite ESPN regularly featuring Barack Obama for March Madness bracket selections with analyst Andy Katz making annual White House visits.
The double standard perfectly illustrates what conservatives have long suspected about ESPN’s political bias.
"I think the answer’s pretty evident that Andy Katz went to the White House every year [for the bracket]," Finebaum said. "It was a turning point for me. It wasn’t about politics at all. It was just about the idea of going to the White House to interview the President of the United States."
When asked what would happen if Trump personally urged him to run for Senate, Finebaum didn’t hesitate: "Impossible to tell him no. There’s no way I could. I would tell him yes."
Alabama connection runs deeper than sports
While Finebaum and his wife have lived in North Carolina for more than a decade, he told OutKick he’d be eager to move back to Alabama – "the place I’ve felt most welcome."
"Alabama has always been the place I’ve felt the most welcome, that I’ve cared the most about the people," he said. "I’ve spoken to people from Alabama for 35 years, and I feel there is a connection that is hard to explain."
That connection started with his journalism career in Birmingham, where he worked as a newspaper reporter and columnist before launching his legendary radio show.
Finebaum said he expects to make a decision within the next "30 to 45 days" about whether to leave ESPN and enter the Senate race.
The primary field is already taking shape with several established Republican candidates.
If Finebaum enters the race, he’ll face a competitive Republican primary against Representative Barry Moore and Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, who have already announced their candidacies.
What this means for conservative politics
BlazeTV host Steve Deace believes Finebaum "absolutely has the name ID to win a primary, which means winning the election in Alabama."
Deace noted the irony of ESPN potentially producing a conservative senator, saying it would be "delicious irony for woke ESPN to produce a senator inspired by my friend Charlie Kirk’s boldness."
Finebaum’s potential candidacy represents something bigger than just another celebrity-to-politician story.
Here’s someone who spent decades building credibility with Alabameans, witnessed firsthand ESPN’s left-wing bias, and found his voice after Charlie Kirk’s assassination exposed the stakes of America’s political battles.
Finebaum has until May 19, 2026 to make his move – plenty of time to see if Trump gives him the green light.
Look, for anyone who’s watched ESPN go full woke while crushing conservative voices, Finebaum’s story gives you hope. Here’s a guy who spent decades earning trust with Alabama voters, saw ESPN’s bias up close, and finally found his backbone after Charlie Kirk paid the ultimate price for speaking truth.
The question isn’t whether Finebaum has the name recognition to win – it’s whether he has the courage to walk away from a lucrative ESPN contract to fight for the values Charlie Kirk died defending.
Alabama voters deserve someone who understands that some things matter more than sports.
¹ Paul Finebaum Announces Which Political Party He Sides With, Yahoo Sports, September 29, 2025.
² Paul Finebaum Announces Which Political Party He Sides With, The Spun, September 29, 2025.
³ Charlie Kirk assassination inspires famed ESPN commentator to run for Senate, Blaze Media, September 30, 2025.
⁴ ESPN analyst Paul Finebaum mulls Alabama Senate campaign, The Hill, September 29, 2025.
⁵ Tommy Tuberville Says Paul Finebaum Would Be A ‘Force’ In Alabama Senate Race, OutKick, October 1, 2025.
⁶ Paul Finebaum says he is considering running for U.S. Senate, ESPN, September 29, 2025.
⁷ Paul Finebaum Told Clay Travis He Was ‘Devastated’ When ESPN Shot Down Trump Interview, OutKick, October 1, 2025.
⁸ ESPN Analyst Paul Finebaum Tells OutKick He’s Considering Running for Alabama Senate Seat, Yahoo News, September 29, 2025.
⁹ Paul Finebaum ‘seriously considering’ run for Senate in Alabama’s GOP primary, WBRC, September 29, 2025.
¹⁰ ESPN Analyst Paul Finebaum is Considering Running for U.S. Senate as Republican, The Gateway Pundit, September 29, 2025.
