Man in the (Political) Arena: When the Game Becomes the Government

Bruce Pearl (left) retired as head coach of the Auburn men's backetball team in September. Paul Finebaum (right) is a host on ESPN’s SEC Network. Photos provided AP

In an already tumultuous time in American politics, the rumor mill in Alabama has added a new twist: the potential candidacies of two well-known sports figures for the open U.S. Senate seat—Bruce Pearl and Paul Finebaum. 

Current Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville, who coached football at Auburn for a decade, has announced his intention to step down from the Senate and run for governor of Alabama in 2026. Tuberville’s term in the Senate officially ends in 2027, but a successful bid for the governor position would require a special election for his vacant seat. 

Auburn men’s basketball head coach Bruce Pearl announced his retirement on September 22 after pioneering a decade-long run that transformed the program. Immediate speculation of a bid for Tuberville’s post followed from previous remarks that Pearl, 65, would consider running for a seat in the U.S. Senate. 

Pearl brushed off the speculation, saying “[running for Senate] would have required leaving Auburn, and instead, the university has given me an opportunity to stay here and be Auburn’s senator.” Pearl’s new role with Auburn will be “special assistant to the athletics director.” 

So, while Pearl announced that he does not plan to run for the open Senate seat, this kind of  “coach-speak,” where one announces one thing and does the opposite, is not a foreign concept to many fans—especially those who have witnessed coaches leave after announcing their intentions to coach at that program for life. 

Just a few days later, news broke that Paul Finebaum—host of ESPN’s SEC Network channel and one of the most recognizable and controversial voices in college sports—announced he would consider leaving ESPN to run for the U.S. Senate in the 2026 midterms. Finebaum, 70, has hinted that he’s been encouraged by people in Washington and within the Republican Party to make the jump. He plans to make a decision in the next 30 days, making it clear that if President Trump asked him to run, he would do so. 

On Monday, it was reported by Pete Nakos of college recruiting news giant On3 that Finebaum is away from ESPN. He did not appear on “SportsCenter” this Sunday, where he usually appears to discuss the previous day’s college football games. However, ESPN has since denied these claims, stating that reports of Finebaum being censored or removed were “TOTALLY FALSE.” Finebaum is expected to appear on the network’s “First Take” Tuesday morning.

The junction between sports and politics—evident well before this Pearl and Finebaum news— reveals something about the country’s cultural mood. American politics have become increasingly performative—more about charisma, communication and narrative than real policy expertise. The political “arena” now resembles the sports one: loud, competitive and endlessly televised. 

This is not the first time these two disciplines have overlapped, of course. Jesse Ventura, retired professional wrestler, once found his way into the Minnesota governor’s office. In today’s media-driven game, a viral moment can matter more than a policy proposal. Politics has become the ultimate spectator sport in America. 

The notion that Finebaum or Pearl could step in and instantly command political coverage shows how powerfully celebrity functions in the political sphere. In some ways, voters no longer need a detailed platform, they just need a story they already know. 

The speculation about Pearl and Finebaum campaigns may amount to nothing more than talk—but it is telling regardless. While neither has yet to declare a campaign, the official deadline to announce for the Senate primary is January 23, 2026. Will these two prominent sports figures be pitted against each other? Only time will tell.