ESPN was thrown into turmoil Monday night after high-profile analyst Ryan Clark, who reportedly earns $2 million a year, was informed during a taping that he was being let go, with additional cuts expected to follow Tuesday.
Clark, a former NFL safety and 2023 Emmy winner for Outstanding Personality/Studio Analyst, did not complete the broadcast and left the set shortly after learning the news, according to reports.
The sudden dismissal quickly ignited debate across social media, where stunned viewers questioned how ESPN handled the move and speculated about which on-air personalities could be affected next.
Emmanuel Acho, who was himself ousted by Fox Sports last year, sharply criticized television executives for delivering the decision while Clark was in the middle of recording “NFL Live” after more than a decade with the network.
“More often than not, executives are cowards,” the retired linebacker said. “Former athletes, we’re used to tough information. Just tell it to us!”
“[We’ve been] cut before, [we’ve had] broken bones before, had surgeries before. Ryan Clark notably couldn’t play a game in Denver, Colorado, because he had [an autoimmune disease]… we’re used to tough things! Just tell us!”
Ryan Clark reportedly learned ESPN was laying him off while taping “NFL Live”
Clark, second from left, has appeared with analysts including Jason Kelce and Marcus Spears on NFL Countdown
It was revealed soon after Clark’s firing that ESPN is not done there, with more layoffs expected in the coming hours – just as NFL teams begin to return for training camps this week.
The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand reports that the leading network, and its sister platform NFL Network, will see more big names cut this week as part of wider layoffs at parent company Disney.
Within that will be a number of on-air personalities based at ESPN’s Bristol, Connecticut HQ, as well as a larger portion of on-air and off-air talent from NFL Network.
The cuts stem from ESPN’s February acquisition of NFL Network, which came at a cost of around $3 billion and saw the NFL secure a 10% stake in ESPN.
ESPN has declined to comment on Clark’s firing, and any more potential cuts in the coming hours.
On social media, meanwhile, Acho added: ‘Firing a man during his show that he’s helped bring an Emmy award is wild! Why did they say they did it? Because they didn’t want him to find out on social media.
‘So you fire him during a show and pull him during the last 10 minutes of a segment? Last year, when I got fired… we found out on social media.’
The Athletic later reported that ESPN initially planned to inform Clark on Tuesday morning that he was being let go. However, ESPN is said to have feared the story would leak before then.
Clark, who was reportedly making more than $2million a year at ESPN, had been expected to play a key role in the network’s coverage of Super Bowl LXI next season.
The 46-year-old former NFL star had been with the network for more than a decade
Clark also got into a heated on-air fight with colleague Peter Schrager in September last year
But the former safety has been embroiled in a number of high-profile controversies in recent years after clashing with the likes of Robert Griffin III and Peter Schrager.
His bitter feud with the latter led to a social media apology, in which he admitted he needed to become a ‘better teammate’.
The fight came while he was already facing criticism for claiming that retired quarterbacks Tom Brady, Drew Brees and Peyton Manning were not ‘generational talents’ at the position, and he went on to dig his hole a bit deeper by attacking Schrager’s background.
Specifically, Clark took issue with Schrager – at the time a new, big-money ESPN hire – because he didn’t play college or professional football.
‘We shouldn’t do this on TV,’ Clark said. ‘I apologize if people think this is rude – that’s the non-player in you.’
Schrager immediately rejected that argument. ‘Stop,’ he said. ‘I’m not looking at fantasy football. Ryan, don’t belittle me like that. I can come and say as three ex-players are saying one thing, and give an alternative perspective.’
Clark, though, wasn’t finished.
Just two days ago, Clark (left) was on stage in New York for a Fanatics Fest panel
Chaos is expected at ESPN’s Bristol, Connecticut headquarters with more layoffs on Tuesday
‘What I need you to do is to not get mad and let me finish for one,’ he told Schrager, who obliged. ‘It wasn’t about you, it was going to be about me.’
Since then, Clark has issued an apology over the incident, while alluding to something else that happened off air between himself and Schrager.
‘Today, I had an interaction with my colleague [Peter Schrager] both on and off the air that I regret,’ Clark wrote on X. ‘I have apologized to Peter and taken accountability with ESPN leadership.
‘I value working with Peter and look forward to this season. My focus will remain on professionalism, teamwork, and being a better teammate moving forward.’
