ESPN analyst Bart Scott has described the harsh manner in which he says he learned the network would not be bringing him back.
The disclosure comes amid another round of ESPN layoffs, with several prominent on-air personalities affected, including former NFL standout Ryan Clark, two-time Super Bowl champion Damien Woody and, now, Scott.
Scott, the former New York Jets linebacker who later became a regular media voice, said he found out he was part of the latest cuts in an especially blunt fashion.
Speaking earlier this week on The Joint Venture Show, Scott claimed he was told of the decision only moments before he was due to go on the air for his ESPN New York radio program last month.
‘I was going into my radio show and they called me, like, “Hey, uh, just to let you know, wish we could do it in person,” Scott said. ‘Like, no, you don’t, motherf***er. “Oh, I wish I could do it in person.” Nah.
‘So, it’s like, “We’re not gonna renew you.” My contract is expiring in September. So, I found out that way. It’s part of the business.’
Former NFL player Bart Scott is among the latest ESPN figures impacted by the network’s layoffs
Scott has spoken publicly about the abrupt way he says he learned ESPN was moving on from him
After discovering his fate on the phone call, Scott reportedly did not co-host ‘Bart and Carlin’ that day with Chris Carlin flying solo instead.
The Daily Mail’s request for comment was not immediately returned by ESPN.
Scott played in the NFL for a decade from 2002 until 2012 before he transitioned into broadcasting and joined ESPN in 2017.
In addition to hosting his radio show, Scott also made frequent appearances on ‘Get Up’ and other ESPN programs.
His revelation comes after Clark revealed he had suffered a similar fate during last month’s cuts.
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According to The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand, the retired defensive back was actually dismissed during a recording of NFL Live, prompting him to drop his satellite feed early. The last 10 minutes of the show did not include the former Pittsburgh Steelers safety.
TMZ later reported that Clark was going to be notified about his dismissal at a later date, but the network became aware of an impending story on the news and decided to tell him during Monday’s NFL Live recording.
Clark and ESPN agreed it was better for him not to complete the episode, according to TMZ, which stressed that he was not forced off the air.
Scott played in the NFL for a decade from 2002 until 2012 before joining ESPN
Former NFL player and analyst Ryan Clark was also ruthless let go last month
However, Clark pushed back at the claim, disputing that version of events.
‘I wasn’t forced?’ he asked rhetorically in a post on X. ‘I ask, ‘should I be done now?’
‘The answer was ‘yes,’ he added.
Meanwhile, former Super Bowl champion Woody also left the company after his contract was not renewed.
Woody, who twice lifted the Vince Lombardi Trophy with the New England Patriots, has spent 15 years working at ESPN since he retired from the NFL in 2011.
He has been a mainstay on various shows across the network, including SportsCenter, NFL Live and Get Up.
Karl Ravech was also laid off at ESPN after more than three decades as one of the network’s biggest stars.
‘I haven’t really commented on it much,’ the 61-year-old told The Josh Graham show this week. ‘I think it’s sort of apparent what’s happened there. I certainly have literally no ill will to a company that’s provided me with a life that has exceeded any expectation I had coming out of Needham High School or Ithaca College and the experiences I’ve had.’
