ESPN has laid off National Football League (NFL) analyst and former Super Bowl champion Ryan Clark, according to a report by The Athletic.
The report, citing people familiar with the matter, said Clark was informed of the decision on July 20, a day earlier than planned, after the network feared that the news of the removal could leak before he was told.
Clark, who is an Emmy Award-winning analyst, had been with ESPN for 11 years and reportedly earned about $2 million a year.
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Rumours about his exit had been circulating since February, following the Super Bowl, and gained momentum last week. ESPN declined to comment on the report or on other possible layoffs, the publication said.
According to The Athletic, Clark was on air for ESPN's NFL Live on Monday when he was informed about the decision. He reportedly did not return to finish the programme after being notified.
Sports Business Journal, citing ESPN sources, reported that the layoffs were originally scheduled to be announced on July 21. However, the company decided to inform Clark earlier after receiving media queries and worrying that he might hear the news from someone else first.
The report comes as ESPN begins what is said to be a second round of layoffs. According to The Athletic, more on-air personalities based at ESPN's headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut, along with several on- and off-air employees from NFL Network, are expected to be affected by this move.
Earlier this year, Disney-owned ESPN completed its acquisition of NFL Network. As part of a deal, NFL received a 10% stake in ESPN in a transaction valued at about $3 billion, according to a Reuters report.
Reuters also reported that Disney was planning additional job cuts, including among on-air talent.
Clark played 13 seasons in the NFL for the New York Giants, Washington Redskins and Pittsburgh Steelers before joining ESPN after retiring in 2014.
He was a familiar face on shows such as Monday Night Countdown, First Take and Get Up, and also hosted the podcast The Pivot. In 2024, he publicly confirmed on X that he had signed a contract extension with ESPN after the Super Bowl.
He wrote: “3 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. 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!”
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