I think it was just a reduction in force, cost cutting layoff.
He's still under contract so ESPN still has to honor the contract.
Most likely they will pay him the two years left on his contract this year and take the hit accounting wise this year.
Then next year he and Ponder are off the books and the 2025 books will look so much better for ESPN.
For him to be fired he would had to violate the contract in some way then ESPN would try to get out of paying him the 2 years remaining. Let's say he had an affair with an intern or something, perhaps violating some morality clause