National Football League

Report: Bill Simmons, ESPN to end relationship after nearly 15 years

Published May. 8, 2015 11:25 a.m. ET

foxsports

Bill Simmons and ESPN are no longer an item.

The media personality and sports network failed to reach a contract extension, which will end their almost 15-year relationship.

"I've decided that I'm not going to renew his contract," John Skipper, president of ESPN, told The New York Times. "We've been talking to Bill and his agent and it was clear we weren't going to get to the terms so we were better off focusing on transition."

Skipper told the Times that Grantland, the site run by Simmons for ESPN, will not be affected by this.

"It long ago went from being a Bill Simmons site to one that can stand on its own," Skipper said.

Simmons was suspended three weeks last year for calling NFL commissioner Roger Goodell a "liar" during one of his podcasts and dared the network's higher-ups to fire him.