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Sage Steele has officially parted ways with ESPN after both parties settled her lawsuit filed last year. Steele left the network, as she wanted to exercise her first amendment, but fans erupted in memes after the news went viral.
In a statement on Twitter, Steele announced his departure from ESPN. She was with the network since 2007 and has hosted shows like SportsCenter and NBA Countdown. She also covered other sports like golf and football.
"Having successfully settled my case with ESPN/Disney, I have decided to leave so I can exercise my first amendment rights more freely," Steel wrote.
"I am grateful for so many wonderful experiences over the past 16 years and am excited for my next chapter!"
It's unclear where Sage Steele will be working next, but some fans are already mocking her online. There were quite a few who claimed that Steele will be joining a far-right network soon.
One fan is baffled why Steele was being so "dramatic":
"Why she being so dramatic?"
Another fan thinks that Fox News or OANN will hire Steele:
"Sage steele getting ready to field fox news & OANN offers."
Another fan mocked the possibility of Steele teaming up with Jason Whitlock:
"Sage Steele and Jason Whitlock doing my pillow commercials and defending racists."
Here are other hilarious memes about Steele's decision to leave ESPN:
Also Read: Michael Jordan, who sold a $3 billion franchise, once had to pay a mere $102 fine to avoid arrest
What happened between Sage Steele and ESPN?
The drama between Sage Steele and ESPN started in Oct. 2021 when she was suspended for comments she made on Jay Cutler's podcast. Steele was critical of ESPN's COVID-19 vaccine mandate and former United States president Barack Obama.
The 50-year-old anchor also reckons female reporters should get part of the blame when male athletes say or do something inappropriate toward them. She went on to apologize for her remarks but filed a lawsuit against ESPN last year.
Steele claimed that the network forced her to apologize and retaliated by taking away work assignments. She also alleged that ESPN didn't stop some of her co-workers who harassed her.
ESPN tried to get the lawsuit thrown out of court but failed. Steele continued working amid the lawsuit before both parties settled for an unspecified amount. She then left the company after 16 years of service. She's not the first ESPN employee to leave or get fired this summer.
