ESPN Buys Out Jason Whitlock's Contract, But He Could Stay On "PTI" In Short Term

ESPN and Jason Whitlock "have parted ways," as the network "quietly negotiated" a buyout a couple of weeks ago, according to Richard Deitsch of SI.com. Whitlock returned to ESPN in August '13, and was slated to head the race-focused website The Undefeated, which has yet to launch. The troubled editorship and eventual ouster of Whitlock "has been well chronicled." Whitlock "continued to appear on ESPN’s airwaves throughout this summer" on "PTI." It is expected that Whitlock "will continue to appear on that show in the near-term." Whitlock "appears to be a lock to re-join Fox Sports," where he worked from '07-13. FS1 "is rebranding its afternoon format around Colin Cowherd and provocative sports talk in an effort to turn around low ratings." Whitlock "could serve as a partner with Cowherd on a still-to-be built late afternoon show or co-host his own show" (SI.com, 10/4).