ESPN host Sage Steele announced Tuesday that she is leaving the network so that she can "exercise my first amendment rights more freely."
Steele's announcement comes after she was suspended by the network in October 2021 over comments she made on former President Barack Obama and the network's COVID-19 vaccine mandate. In April 2022, she sued both ESPN and its owner, the Walt Disney Company, for compensatory damages, alleging that ESPN breached her contract and her right to free speech.
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"Having successfully settled my case with ESPN/Disney, I have decided to leave so I can exercise my first amendment rights more freely," Steele wrote on social media. "I am grateful for so many wonderful experiences over the past 16 years and am excited for my next chapter!"
Life update.
— Sage Steele (@sagesteele) August 15, 2023
Having successfully settled my case with ESPN/Disney, I have decided to leave so I can exercise my first amendment rights more freely. I am grateful for so many wonderful experiences over the past 16 years and am excited for my next chapter!#SteeleStrong
ESPN suspended Steele following comments she made in a podcast, in which she criticized Obama for selecting "black" as his ethnicity on the census, even though he was raised by "his white mom and grandma." She also spoke out against ESPN's COVID-19 vaccine mandate, calling it "sick" and saying she only received the vaccine out of fear of losing her job.
In the wake of Steele's comments, the network issued a statement that while they embrace other opinions, it expects those opinions to be "expressed respectfully." Steele also apologized for her remarks in a statement.
"I know my recent comments created controversy for the company, and I apologize,” said Steele.
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When Steele resumed her work at ESPN, she was booted from major roles such as the network's annual summit celebrating women and diverse voices as well as the network's coverage of the New York City Marathon, her lawsuit alleged, according to the Wall Street Journal. She then complained to the company's human resources department in February 2022 and was offered the opportunity to co-host the Masters, the lawsuit stated.
In June 2023, Steele was offered $501,000, as well as money to cover “reasonable” attorney fees to settle her lawsuit, according to Front Office Sports.