Longtime ESPN host and “SportsCenter” anchor Sage Steele says she has settled her lawsuit against the company — and is now leaving after 16 years.
Steele posted a “life update” on social media, providing a conclusion to her time at the network as well as her ongoing legal feud.
“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!” Steele wrote.
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Steele sued ESPN and Disney back in 2022, saying that her First Amendment rights had been violated. The host claimed that ESPN retaliated against her after she said the company’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate was “sick” and “scary” on a podcast.
Back in June, ESPN reportedly offered $501,000 to settle the case against Steele, but stated in a court document that the settlement should “not be construed as an admission that defendants are liable for any of the claims.”
The case had been set to go to trial in March of 2024.
Steele is the latest notable on-screen personality to leave the company in recent months. Over the summer, ESPN engaged in a series of layoffs that made headlines with big names like Max Kellerman, Suzy Kolber, Todd McShay and Steve Young all being let go.
