ESPN host Jemele Hill admitted she “deserved” the two-week suspension handed to her by the network after she called on NFL fans to boycott companies that advertise with the Dallas Cowboys.
“I violated [ESPN’s social media] policy. I deserved that suspension,” Hill told TMZ. “Going forward we’ll be in a good, healthy place. It will be fine and I’m looking forward to it.”
Hill, who has been with the sports broadcaster for about 11 years, said she regretted the position she put colleagues in after she voiced her displeasure with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones’ handling of the NFL national anthem protests on Twitter.
Jones had earlier warned his players that anyone who refused to stand during “The Star-Spangled Banner” would be benched.
But Hill added that she would “never take back what I said,” saying sometimes presenters “color outside the lines.”
“There’s nothing that has happened that I feel like I can’t recover from,” Hill continued. “I don’t feel like I’m suppressed. I’m good. I love ESPN as much as I ever did the day I walked in there. I am okay.”
Hill said she was “thankful” to her supporters, but that she was “happy to be back” with the network on Monday, Oct. 23, after a “reflective time” away.
“It’ll be great,” she said. “I’m just concentrating more on moving forward.”
