Ryan Clark
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ESPN analyst and former Washington Commanders safety Ryan Clark.
The long tenure of former Washington Commanders safety Ryan Clark at ESPN has come to an unceremonious end after he was fired as an NFL analyst on Monday.
Clark had become well-known in recent years for creating awkward, uncomfortable moments on ESPN’s live broadcasts and for his popular podcast, The Pivot, more than for giving actual football insight.
“Clark was on ESPN’s NFL Live’ on Monday,” The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand wrote. “He was informed of the decision during the show, said the sources, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive matter. Clark did not finish the program …ESPN and its sister platform, NFL Network, are expected to have more layoffs Tuesday as part of broader cuts at their parent company, Disney. There are expected to be a small number of layoffs of on-air personalities based at ESPN headquarters in Bristol, Conn., as well as a larger number of employees, both on- and off-the-air, from NFL Network. ESPN acquired NFL Network and other assets in February, which gave the NFL a 10 percent stake in ESPN in a deal valued at around $3 billion.”
Clark won a Super Bowl with the Pittsburgh Steelers following the 2008 season and had 2 stints with the Commanders — in 2004 and 2005 and again in his final NFL season in 2014.