ESPN anchor who called vaccine mandate 'sick' sues network for allegedly sidelining her

ESPN anchor Sage Steele has filed a lawsuit against the network, alleging it violated her free speech rights and sidelined her after controversial comments she made last year.
In a lawsuit against ESPN, Steele alleged the network "violated Connecticut law and Steele's rights to free speech" based on "a faulty understanding" of remarks she made about COVID-19 vaccine mandates and former President Barack Obama, The Wall Street Journal and NBC News report.
While appearing on the Uncut With Jay Cutler podcast in 2021, Steele criticized her employer's COVID-19 vaccine mandate as "sick" and "scary." She also said it was "fascinating" that Obama identifies as Black "considering his Black dad was nowhere to be found, but his white mom and grandma raised him."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Steele apologized at the time, acknowledging that "my recent comments created controversy for the company."
But in the lawsuit, she says the network forced her to issue this "humiliating" apology. The lawsuit alleges ESPN also "suspended her for a period of time in October 2021," telling her she would be "sidelined," and has "continued to punish" her by "removing her from prime assignments."
ESPN, though, told NBC News that Steele "remains a valued contributor" and that "as a point of fact, she was never suspended." Steele's attorney, Bryan Freedman, said she is "standing up to corporate America to ensure employees don't get their rights trampled on or their opinions silenced."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
The battle for 21st century naturism laid bare
In The Spotlight Nudist lifestyle falling out of favour in Germany but naked attraction is on the rise in the UK
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
The Week Unwrapped: Why do young people love ASMR?
Podcast Plus can US football stamp out homophobia? And why is Scottish Gallic getting a TV boost?
By The Week UK Published
-
Quiz of The Week: 1 - 7 March
Have you been paying attention to The Week's news?
By The Week Staff Published
-
Texas outbreak brings 1st US measles death since 2015
Speed read The outbreak is concentrated in a 'close-knit, undervaccinated' Mennonite community in rural Gaines County
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Mystery illness spreading in Congo rapidly kills dozens
Speed Read The World Health Organization said 53 people have died in an outbreak that originated in a village where three children ate a bat carcass
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Ozempic can curb alcohol cravings, study finds
Speed read Weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy may also be helpful in limiting alcohol consumption
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
New form of H5N1 bird flu found in US dairy cows
Speed Read This new form of bird flu is different from the version that spread through herds in the last year
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Microplastics accumulating in human brains, study finds
Speed Read The amount of tiny plastic particles found in human brains increased dramatically from 2016 to 2024
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
FDA approves painkiller said to thwart addiction
Speed Read Suzetrigine, being sold as Journavx, is the first new pharmaceutical pain treatment approved by the FDA in 20 years
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Study finds possible alternative abortion pill
Speed Read An emergency contraception (morning-after) pill called Ella could be an alternative to mifepristone for abortions
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
California declares bird flu emergency
Speed Read The emergency came hours after the nation's first person with severe bird flu infection was hospitalized
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published