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ESPN decided to pull Sage Steele off the air after controversial remarks the Sports Center anchor made about former President Barack Obama, how women dress in the workplace, and the "sick" vaccine mandate the company implemented.
Steele commented on Obama's biracial heritage, stating that she found it "fascinating considering his Black dad is no where to be found but his white mom and grandma raised him."
She also said women "know what they're doing" when they wear certain outfits and said she only got vaccinated against COVID-19 to avoid losing air time, which she ultimately did following her appearance on an episode of a podcast with former Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler. The comments prompted swift backlash online.
"At ESPN, we embrace different points of view –– dialogue and discussion makes this place great," the company said in a statement following the remarks. "That said, we expect that those points of view be expressed respectfully, in a manner consistent with our values, and in line with our internal policies."
Steele issued an apology for her comments which she said "caused controversy for the company."
It's not clear how long Steele will be off the air and the company didn't specific which of her comments got her pulled.
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