Riley Gaines suggests Sam Ponder's ESPN dismissal centered around her views on protecting women's sports

Riley Gaines, the host of OutKick's 'Gaines for Girls' podcast, discusses ESPN's decision to fire 'Sunday NFL Countdown' host Sam Ponder.

Sam Ponder's nearly 13-year run at ESPN came to an end this week. On Thursday, The Athletic reported that the network has parted ways with the "Sunday NFL Countdown" host.

Ponder is believed to have had time remaining on her seven-figure contract. However, the company's ongoing effort to explore opportunities to cut costs as the end of the organization's fiscal year draws near prompted the decision to fire the TV host, according to The Athletic. A source familiar with Ponder's dismissal also told Fox News Digital that it was a business decision.

The former Kentucky swimmer and the host of OutKick’s "Gaines for Girls" podcast floated a different theory about ESPN's decision to move on from Ponder.

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Samantha Ponder speaks at Inside the Game Q&A presented by IFA on February 2, 2018, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Thaddaeus McAdams/WireImage)

"So ESPN fires Sam Ponder, the only woman at the network who was publicly said men don’t belong in women’s sports. 3 weeks before football season?" Gaines posted on X, formerly Twitter, on Thursday. "Sam is one of the most beautiful, genuine women I’ve ever met along with Sage Steele who had a similar fate….not a coincidence."

Gaines further defended Ponder and said the television host was "incredible at her job."

"We saw just this week where Sam Ponder, one of the – I have had the pleasure of being able to spend some time with her," Gaines said during a recent episode of "Gaines for Girls." 

"One of the most beautiful, kind, authentic, genuine, intentional people you could ever meet on a personal