Ryan Clark has shared the hottest of all NFL hot takes. The former LSU safety went on "First Take" on Thursday and said he doesn't believe Drew Brees, Peyton Manning nor Tom Brady are generational talents.
"I think John Elway was a generational talent," Clark said. "I think Patrick Mahomes is a generational talent. I don't think Tom Brady, I don't think Drew Brees, I don't think Peyton Manning are generational talents.
Ryan Clark at Super Bowl flag football
"I think Andrew Luck ended up being a generational talent. I don't think there's a ton of them out there."
Dan Orlovsky then asked the obvious follow up.
"So then how does one, in your eyes, be a generational talent? Because there's not a lot of-" Orlovsky said, before Stephen A. Smith cut him off.
"Production," Smith said. "Let me chime in here, because I love the argument back and forth between y'all. I'm not trying to get in the way of it. The reality of it, the operative word here is 'is.'"
Smith was referring to Texas quarterback Arch Manning, as the discussion was if Arch is a generational quarterback. Smith said he's currently not because the masses haven't seen anything to tell spectators otherwise.
The comment from Clark, a Marrero native, about Brees got the New Orleans Saints' social media team involved. The Saints posted two screenshots on X − the top three most passing yards of all-time and the most passing touchdowns of all-time. Brady, Brees and Manning rounded out the top three in both categories.
https://t.co/BTT7M4K3xt pic.twitter.com/galDK5cRWK
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) September 4, 2025
Clark graduated from LSU's Manship School, and signed with the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2002. He's most known for his time with the Pittsburgh Steelers from 2006-13. He was a Pro Bowler in 2011 with Pittsburgh and won Super Bowl XLIII in 2009.