ESPN’s Paul Finebaum announced he will not run to replace Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R), ending months of speculation that the sports media figure might enter politics.
“I have been deeply moved by so many people in Alabama who have reached out encouraging me to run for the United States Senate,” the longtime college football journalist and host said in a statement to AL.com. “I am also appreciative of my bosses at ESPN for allowing me to explore this opportunity. But it’s time for me to devote my full attention to something everyone in Alabama can agree upon – our love of college football.”
Earlier this fall, Finebaum said he might consider a Senate run after Tuberville announced plans to leave the seat to campaign for governor, noting that “one or two people in Washington” had encouraged the idea.
A Republican, Finebaum is one of ESPN’s most prominent figures and a leading voice on Southern college football. He previously worked as a columnist for the Birmingham Post-Herald and has about a year left on his contract with the Disney-owned network. Finebaum said he briefly considered leaving sports media for a Senate run after the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
“I spent four hours numb talking about things that didn’t matter to me. And it kept building throughout that weekend,” he said in an interview with the right-leaning sports outlet OutKick. “I felt very empty doing what I was doing that day.”
Meanwhile, Rep. Barry Moore (R-Ala.) launched his own bid for Tuberville’s seat in August.
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EXCLUSIVE: Paul Finebaum has decided not to run for the Alabama U.S. Senate seat currently held by Tommy Tuberville. pic.twitter.com/thIsOiSzOp— AL.com (@aldotcom) December 2, 2025
