ESPN star blasts Disney's 'sick,' 'scary' vaccine mandate, says she got the jab but 'didn't want to do it'

ESPN host Sage Steele revealed this week that she got a COVID vaccine shot required by her bosses, even though she "didn't want to do it," The Hill reported.

In an interview with former Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler on his podcast, "Uncut With Jay Cutler," which was posted Wednesday, the "SportsCenter" host lamented that the Walt Disney Company, which owns ESPN, mandated the shots for all employees and explained that the only reason she took the shot was because of the company's "sick" and "scary" mandate.

What happened?

Steele told Cutler that Disney had given employees until the end of September to get vaxxed or hit the bricks, so she took the jab, despite wanting to avoid it.

"I didn't want to do it," she told Cutler. "But I work for a company that mandates it, and I had until Sept. 30 to get it done, or I'm out."

She then offered Cutler a biting and honest assessment of Disney's command that all employees get vaccinated, calling the company's strong-arming "sick" and "scary."

"I respect everyone's decision, I really do, but to mandate it is sick, and it's scary to me in many ways," Steele said. "But I have a job, a job that I love and, frankly, a job that I need.

"I'm not surprised it got to this point, especially with Disney, I mean a global company like that," she added, noting that her problem is not with the vaccine but with the mandate.

"The mandate is what I really have an issue with," Steele said. "I don't know what comes next, but I do know for me personally, I feel defeated."

"It's one thing with masks," she said, adding, "It's another thing when you force this."

Relevant portion begins at the 48:30 mark:

This isn't the first time Steele has made public statements to challenge the COVID narrative promoted by the federal government.

Last week, she mocked mask mandates for children in response to a tweet comparing the number of kids shot in Chicago this year compared to the total number of children who have died by COVID-19 nationwide.

"KIDS. SHOT. The sick trend continues as it has for YEARS in Chicago," Steele wrote. "Funny how no one talks about it publicly..much less does anything about it. But yes -- let's keep masking up our children! SMH. Once again, when facts don't fit the narrative."

And on Tuesday, she retweeted NBA star Jonathan Isaac of the Orlando Magic, who wrote, "Misrepresentation only allows for others to attack straw men, and not reason with the true ideas and heart of their fellow man. It helps no one! True journalism is dying! I believe it is your God given right to decide if taking the vaccine is right for you! Period!" the New York Post reported.