Fox Sports commentator fired after one appearance as 2012 footage emerges of him saying gays 'would answer to the Lord for their actions' during Texas senate debate

Craig James, 51, played tailback for the New England Patriots in the 1980s

He made the comments during a debate while running for the Texas Senate

He said homosexuality is a 'choice' and that 'we have a moral issue in US'



Fired: Craig James, a former NFL tailback who played with the New England Patriots in the 1980s, made the remarks in a debate in Texas during his failed run at the Senate in 2012

Footage of a Fox Sports presenter making a homophobic comment has led to his dismissal.

Craig James, a former NFL who played with the New England Patriots in the 1980s, said during a debate that gay people would 'have to answer to the lord for their actions'.



He made the remarks in a debate in Texas during his failed run at the Senate in 2012.

The 52-year-old former ESPN sportscaster, who was only hired by rival Fox a month ago, told the debate that being gay 'is a choice' and that people who 'choose to do that' will 'have to answer to the Lord for their actions'.

The comments, which drew hearty applause from the audience, left Fox bosses with little choice but to cancel his contract 'with immediate effect'.

'Craig James will not be making any further appearances on Fox Sports Southwest's football coverage this season,' a Fox Sports spokesperson told Sports Illustrated .



Another Fox spokesman told the Dallas Morning News : 'We just asked ourselves how Craig’s statements would play in our human resources department. He couldn’t say those things here.'

James stepped down from his role as sports presenter on ESPN to run for the Senate as a Republican in 2012. He made the comments during a debate in April 2012 that was televised across Texas.

'People choose to be gay... I think its a choice, I do.' he said. 'Same sex marriage, if someone chooses to do that, that's done. And God's going to judge each one of us in this room for our actions.



'And in that case right there, they're going to have to answer to the Lord for their actions.'

As the audience applauded, he went on: 'We should not give benefits to those civil unions. They should not occur. We have to stay strong on this, this is important, man.



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Homophobic: The 52-year-old former ESPN sportscaster, who was only hired by rival Fox a month ago, told the debate that being gay 'is a choice' and that people who 'choose to do that' will 'have to answer to the Lord for their actions'

'I'll tell you what, we have a fiscal issue in this country... we also have a moral issue in this country.'

Hiring James a month ago, FSSW executive producer Mike Anastassiou said: 'We’re excited to add Craig to the FOX Sports Southwest team.

'He’s a talented broadcaster who I’ve admired throughout his career. His knowledge of college football and the experience he brings as an analyst will be a tremendous asset to our coverage.'

James is a polarising figure who was embroiled in Texas Tech University's 2009 decision to fire popular football coach Mike Leach over allegations the coach mistreated Mr James's son, a Red Raiders player, after he sustained a concussion.

He was also a member of the record-setting SMU football team in the early 1980s when the program entered a series of scandals that ultimately forced the NCAA to shut it down.

Former player: James carries the football on a two-yard touchdown run for the New England Patriots in a 1986 AFC Divisional Playoff Game

He later played for the New England patriots between 1984 and 1988.



From 1979 to 1982, Mr James was a star player at SMU and was part of the record-setting 'Pony Express' backfield with Eric Dickerson.



Though the Mustangs won Southwest Conference championships in 1981 and 1982, the team was also embroiled in several NCAA investigations.



In 1987, the NCAA hit SMU with the so-called 'death penalty' for repeated infractions, shutting down the program for a year after finding SMU had continued to pay players after promising in 1985 it would stop.



SMU also chose not to play in 1988 because the NCAA would have limited the Mustangs to only seven games, none at home.



The scandal is generally considered among the worst in college sports history. The sanctions levelled by the NCAA decimated the Mustangs program and SMU remains the only school to be given the 'death penalty'.

