Bill Simmons is leaving ESPN

It was announced on Friday that Bill Simmons will no longer be with ESPN. AP Photo/Don Juan Moore

By Jeff Pini

May 8, 2015

1 minute to read

ESPN will not renew the contract of one of its most prominent figures, Bill Simmons, the network announced on Friday.

“I decided today that we are not going to renew Bill Simmons’ contract,’’ ESPN president John Skipper said in a statement. “We have been in negotiations and it was clear it was time to move on. ESPN’s relationship with Bill has been mutually beneficial – he has produced great content for us for many years and ESPN has provided him many new opportunities to spread his wings. We wish Bill continued success as he plans his next chapter. ESPN remains committed to Grantland and we have a strong team in place.’’

Simmons’s contentious relationship with ESPN over the past year has been well-documented. He was suspended by the network for three weeks last September for making disparaging comments about NFL commissioner Roger Goodell’s handling of several incidents involving NFL players.

A few weeks after returning from that suspension, Simmons got into a feud with radio host Mike Golic over comments Golic made about Simmons on ESPN Radio’s “Mike & Mike.’’ Golic later said that the two had resolved the issue.

Simmons, a Massachusetts native who has been at ESPN for over a decade, is currently the editor-in-chief of Grantland.com, while also an executive producer of the documentary series “30 for 30.’’ He previously served as an analyst on ESPN’s NBA Countdown.