ESPN’s split with Ryan Clark landed with a thud, and the timing made it even more jarring. The network reportedly informed the longtime NFL analyst during his appearance on Monday’s episode of NFL Live, according to The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand.
The move comes with ESPN and the NFL Network expected to carry out a round of layoffs on Tuesday, but Clark was told early for reasons that weren’t immediately clear. Marchand also reported that Clark had been making more than $2 million and had been lined up for a major role in ESPN’s Super Bowl LXI coverage next year, when the network is set to air the game for the first time.
Marchand pointed to Clark’s words as a key reason ESPN executives cooled on him, saying the tension reached a peak with a messy on-air and off-air moment involving Peter Schrager earlier this season.
That incident came on “Get Up” last September, when Schrager defended Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb after an opening-night loss. Clark shot back, “That’s the non-player in you.”
Schrager pushed back and asked Clark not to belittle him, adding that there are other perspectives. Clark answered, “Peter, what I need for you to do is not get mad and let me finish.”
Later that day, Clark posted an apology on X, writing, “Today, I had an interaction with my colleague (Schrager) both on and off the air that I regret.”
The exchange drew plenty of attention and became a distraction for ESPN right as the NFL season was getting underway.
Clark also had another public moment that stood out before he signed a new deal with ESPN in 2024. He went on social media to say his contract had expired, and he made clear how he viewed the negotiations.
"Three years ago I signed an extension with ESPN. I was so grateful for more time.
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.
"I knew it would take effort. I knew that effort didn’t promise results, but I dug in.
Here we are now. 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!"
He eventually landed that new contract, but the process played out very publicly.
Clark, 46, played 13 NFL seasons at safety, with his most notable run coming over eight years with the Steelers. He helped Pittsburgh win Super Bowl XLIII and earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2011. After retiring as a Steeler in February 2015, he moved into broadcasting.
ESPN hired him as an NFL analyst in March 2015, and he became a familiar presence on NFL Live, Get Up! and First Take. In 2022, he also launched The Pivot podcast with Fred Taylor and Channing Crowder, a show centered on sports, lifestyle and issues that affect athletes away from the field.
Now, after more than a decade with ESPN, Clark is back on the market.
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