Thom Brennaman Not In Fox’s NFL Plans For 2020 Following Homophobic Slur

After uttering a homophobic slur on the air during a local Cincinnati Reds broadcast Wednesday night, Fox Sports announced Thursday that longtime broadcaster Thom Brennaman will not be part of the network’s NFL coverage this fall.

“FOX Sports is extremely disappointed with Thom Brennaman’s remarks during Wednesday’s Cincinnati Reds telecast,” the network said in a statement. “The language used was abhorrent, unacceptable, and not representative of the values of FOX Sports. As it relates to Brennaman’s FOX NFL role, we are moving forward with our NFL schedule which will not include him.”  

Brennaman has been with Fox Sports since the network began broadcasting the NFL in 1994, and has served as a play-by-play announcer in the NFL recently with analyst Chris Speilman. He has notably called the network’s main America’s Game of the Week over the last several years when lead broadcaster Joe Buck has been on assignment with MLB’s postseason schedule. Brennaman has also previously called baseball games on Fox as well for its Saturday game of the week.

Brennaman has been the Reds’ lead play-by-play announcer on TV for 13 years, taking over for his father Marty. During the first game of a doubleheader against the Kansas City Royals, Brennaman could be heard saying “one of the f*g capitals of the world” following a commercial before the top of the seventh inning. While the slur may not have been heard locally, it was heard on MLB.TV and quickly posted to social media, where it went viral. His apology, interrupted by a home run call, went viral as well.

Following the doubleheader, the Reds suspended Brennaman indefinitely, saying “the Cincinnati Reds organization is devastated by the horrific, homophobic remark made this evening by broadcaster Thom Brennaman,” in a statement. “He was pulled off the air, and effective immediately was suspended from doing Reds broadcasts. We will be addressing our broadcasting team in the coming days.”

Fox Sports’ national NFL coverage decided to take a stronger stance and won’t have Brennaman as part of its yearly coverage for the first time.