Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
By Chris Marler
Staff shakeups have quickly become one of the dominant storylines in college football news over the past week. Sam Pittman is out at Arkansas, and longtime Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy was fired in Stillwater.
However, one potential change in the SEC landscape that almost no one saw coming was announced Monday.
Paul Finebaum is considering leaving ESPN to run for the U.S. Senate.
NEW: Paul Finebaum is considering leaving ESPN to run for a U.S. Senate seat in Alabama👀
(via @ClayTravis, @RealDanZak) https://t.co/JqYlS3SrCz pic.twitter.com/IYVjtCtDCh
— On3 (@On3sports) September 29, 2025
The longtime ESPN personality turned SEC icon recently sat down with Clay Travis and is giving the move serious consideration. In the interview he explains that the Charlie Kirk assassination kickstarted a reevaluation of his own priorities.
“I spent four hours numb talking about things that didn’t matter to me. And it kept building throughout that weekend,” Finebaum said. “I felt very empty doing what I was doing that day. It’s hard to describe, not being involved in politics, how that affected me and affected tens of millions of people all over this country. And it was an awakening.”
Paul Finebaum mulls leaving ESPN to run for Senate after Charlie Kirk assassination: ‘It was an awakening’ https://t.co/ns8GdFGtXn pic.twitter.com/n0ejGpOmKN
— New York Post (@nypost) September 29, 2025
The announcement from Finebaum having any remote link to politics will surely ignite some passionate, angering, and irrational responses. That shouldn’t be anything new for the man who’s been running the most popular afternoon radio show around the southeastern part of the country for decades now. That’s seemingly where he thrives.
Will it be a good move? No clue. Will it be met with pushback and anger from the “stick to sports” crowd? Almost certainly. But, should that matter? Absolutely not.
I’ve known Paul for about seven years. We’re not especially close, I’ve been on his show, had dinner with him, and exchanged the usual pleasantries. He never once mentioned his political views to me, on social media or on his show.
Politics have become a hot button issue, dividing friends and families over votes cast every few years. We’ve lost healthy discourse, the ability to disagree, and, most importantly, the ability to respect one another despite those differences.
I don’t know what Paul’s campaign platform will be, but I’m glad to see him follow his passion. Hopefully he can be a voice for those who need it and help bridge the widening gap in this country.
Now the real question is who will Larry, I-Man, and Squirrel call every afternoon during college football season moving forward?
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