We have seen the last of Jason Whitlock on Fox Sports airwaves. The talk show host and the network reportedly could not agree on a new deal upon the expiration of his contract.
“Friday was Jason Whitlock’s last day with FOX Sports,” the network told the New York Post. “We thank Jason for all of his hard work and dedication to the network, and we wish him the best in his future endeavors.”
Outkick The Coverage first reported Whitlock's departure from Fox on Monday after the 53-year-old did not appear on "Speak for Yourself" with co-host Marcellus Wiley. The FS1 show reportedly will continue, and Fox is looking for Whitlock's replacement.
According to the Post, Whitlock "is believed to be looking into starting his own direct-to-consumer business." Whitlock did not confirm his plans to the Post, but he did confirm his leaving Fox.
Whitlock, a sportswriter whose TV career started in 2000 at ESPN, switched to Fox Sports in 2007 before returning to ESPN in 2013 to help develop The Undefeated, a website intended to cover the convergence of race and sports. ESPN parted ways with Whitlock in 2015, at which point he returned to Fox Sports.
Whitlock had become known for his controversial commentary on social media and elsewhere. Most recently, he was criticized for his tweet about LeBron James' response to the shooting death of Ahmaud Arbery, an unarmed black jogger who was gunned down by a white father and son in Georgia.
"This isn't helpful," Whitlock wrote. "It's twitter trolling. It's using this man's tragedy to build a brand as more outspoken than Michael Jordan. There are all kinds of ways to draw attention to this tragedy. Suggesting that we are hunted everyday/every time is just s—stirring."