Paul Finebaum Drops Senate Run | Birmingham News

Paul Finebaum, the iconic college football voice with ESPN, nearly threw his hat into Alabama’s Senate race — but pulled back after political strategists demanded he attack Disney as “woke” and “terrible,” a line he couldn’t stomach. At 71, with his ESPN contract until 2027, he rejected the scripted politics, recalling how last year’s pressure made him realize public service wasn’t for him — especially when it meant compromising his values. Though he’d moved to Alabama, bought a house, and received strong local support, he ultimately chose to stay rooted in sports, where he can speak freely and focus on what Alabamans love: college football. The assassination attempt on Charlie Kirk also pushed him to reassess his priorities — and he walked away from the race at the end of last year, choosing authenticity over ambition. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/81f7fc67d68d1208