Finebaum told Clay Travis he voted for Trump. Photo: Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images
Longtime football analyst and talk-show host Paul Finebaum might leave the world of sports for the world of politics.
Why it matters: Finebaum, in an interview with OutKick's Clay Travis that will air on OutKick.com and its YouTube page at 9am today, says he's considering leaving his position with ESPN to run for the U.S. Senate.
Catch up quick: U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, former Auburn football coach, is not seeking reelection as he runs to replace Gov. Kay Ivey as governor of Alabama.
State of play: Speculation swirled around whether former Auburn basketball coach Bruce Pearl would make a bid for the seat after his recent decision to leave the job, but he announced later he would not.
Finebaum would be throwing his hat into a crowded ring. According to Ballotpedia, eight candidates have already declared their intention to run.
Zoom in: In the interview with OutKick, Finebaum said the recent murder of Charlie Kirk made him rethink his priorities and that the event had a massive impact on him, per a release.
What they're saying: "Alabama has always been the place I've felt the most welcome, that I've cared the most about the people. I've spoken to people from Alabama for 35 years and I feel there is a connection that is hard to explain," he said, according to OutKick.
Zoom out: Finebaum began his sports commentary career as a columnist in Birmingham in 1980 and was the host of the Paul Finebaum Radio Network between 2001 to 2012.
He joined ESPN in 2013 as host of the Paul Finebaum Show, which airs on ESPN Radio and SEC Network.
What we're watching: Finebaum told Travis that he "would like to make this decision fairly soon, in the next 30 to 45 days," per the announcement.
