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Only days after former NFL running back and one-time Senate hopeful Craig James took a job as a commentator for Fox Sports Southwest (FSSW), the network fired him, saying they would not tolerate his beliefs about gay marriage. Now, Plano-based Liberty Institute is asking Fox Sports to reconsider his firing after the network said James’ views on homosexuality were incompatible with its workplace environment.
In an email to Liberty Institute supporters, President and CEO Kelly Shackelford said Liberty is “demanding that they reinstate Craig to his position as on-air college football analyst and stop discriminating against him. View the Demand Letter here.”
Liberty Institute lawyers specialize in religious liberty cases and have argued multiple times before the Supreme Court.
“We need your help,” the letter continues. “Please call Dan Bell, Vice President of Communications for Fox Sports at 310-369-7771, or send him an email at dan.bell@fox.com. Tell him to restore religious liberty and return Craig James back to the airwaves.
“Craig’s love and respect for all people have made him a model colleague who works well with people of various perspectives,” the letter says. “He only asks for the same tolerance he shows others.”
The Daily Mail reported that during his unsuccessful campaign for Senate in 2012, James, a Republican from Celina, said in a debate that homosexuality “is a choice” and that those who “choose to do that” will “have to answer to the Lord for their actions.”
After network officials saw the remarks in the resurfaced debate video, they decided to cut ties with James, according to the Washington Times. James starred alongside another famous running back, Eric Dickerson, at Southern Methodist University in the famed “Pony Express” of the early 1980s.
Fox hired James in late August, and he worked only Aug. 31 before the network reportedly fired him the next day. The Dallas Morning News reported that the network had yet to finalize a formal contract with James when they announced their decision to terminate him.
A Fox spokesman told Sports Illustrated that James “will not be making any further appearances on Fox Sports Southwest’s football coverage this season.”
Another spokesman told the Dallas Morning News that James’ comments would not be welcome or accepted at Fox Sports.
“We just asked ourselves how James’ statements would play in our human resources department,” the spokesman told the Dallas Morning News. “He couldn’t say those things here.”
James, who played for the New England Patriots in the 1980s, served as a broadcaster for ESPN before leaving to run for the U.S. Senate.
Just weeks ago when Fox hired him, FSSW Senior Executive Producer Mike Anastassiou praised James for his expertise and the valuable addition he would be to the network, according to Sports Illustrated.
“He’s a talented broadcaster who I’ve admired throughout his career,” Anastassiou reportedly said in a statement. “His knowledge of college football and the experience he brings as an analyst will be a tremendous asset to our coverage.”
