ESPN has parted ways with NFL analyst Ryan Clark, a seismic move involving a 10-year veteran of the network just ahead of a season that’ll end with it broadcasting the Super Bowl for the first time in its history, according to multiple reports.
Pro Football Talk added that Clark was among the first round of layoffs “that are expected to happen this week.”
Clark, who played 13 years in the league before shifting to broadcasting, was set to be “a large part” of its Super Bowl coverage and was on “Monday Night Countdown” for three seasons.
But ESPN executives “soured” on Clark “due to the issues with his words,” according to The Athletic, which specifically pointed to an incident with colleague Peter Schrager.
During an episode of “Get Up,” as they discussed the Cowboys’ season-opening game against the Eagles and the performance of CeeDee Lamb, Clark told Schrager, “That’s the non-player in you” when the former defender Lamb.
“Don’t belittle me like that,” Schrager said. “I can come and say, as three ex-players are saying one thing, and give an alternate perspective.”
“Peter, what I need for you to do is not get mad and let me finish,” Clark responded, and the confrontation reportedly continued while off the air.
It’s unclear which other ESPN employees — and how many — will be impacted in the round of layoffs.
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