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ESPN has cut ties with NFL analyst Ryan Clark, sources briefed on the move, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive matter, told The Athletic.
Clark had been with the network for a decade and was slated to be a large part of its Super Bowl LXI coverage; ESPN will host the game for the first time in its history next year.
Clark was making more than $2 million per year, according to the sources.
ESPN declined comment.
ESPN executives soured on Clark due to the issues with his words, which peaked with an on- and off-air incident this past season involving colleague Peter Schrager.
Clark, 46, played 13 seasons in the NFL, mostly with the Steelers after being an undrafted free agent. He transitioned into ESPN and worked his way up the network’s depth chart, ultimately landing on the prestigious “Monday Night Countdown,” sitting next to host Scott Van Pelt and analysts Jason Kelce and Marcus Spears. He was on the program for three years.
Calrk also was a regular on shows, like “First Take,” “Get Up” and “NFL Live.” Clark has his own podcast, “The Pivot,” where he often speaks from the heart about issues that impact athletes. He also used it and social media as a forum to explain himself further and apologize when he felt he was wrong.
Last September, after colleague Peter Schrager defended Cowboys receiver CeeDee Lamb’s performance in opening night loss, Clark said, “That’s the non-player in you.”
Schrager asked Clark not to belittle him and mentioning there are other perspectives to which Clark responded by saying, “Peter, what I need for you to do is not get mad and let me finish.”
Much later that day, Clark tweeted out an apology, saying, “Today, I had an interaction with my colleague [Peter Schrager] both on and off the air that I regret.”
Clark signed his new deal in 2024 after a very public negotiation, which caught the attention of many of his colleagues.
“3 years ago I signed an extension with ESPN. I was so grateful for more time,” Clark tweeted after the Super Bowl in February, 2024. “I (was) excited to prove I was worth more, felt I deserved more. We disagreed, & that’s ok. I set out on a mission to leave no doubt, end all conversations about who I was in this business.
“The season is over. The deal is up. Time to make a decision. Either way it goes. The mission don’t change. I want to be the best doing it. Everyone should. I’m more motivated today than ever. I’m still the same #UndraftedFreeAgent !”
This is a developing story and will be updated.
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