“They’re Using Layoffs as a Cover and Camouflage”: Ryan Clark Claims ESPN Used Underhanded Tactics to Axe Him On-Air

Ryan Clark’s long-tenured stint at ESPN came to an abrupt end last week, as the former Pittsburgh Steeler was let go as part of a massive layoff that included Cam Newton, Tom Pelissero, and more.

Clark, who was with the network since coming on as an NFL analyst in 2015, appeared on NFL Live, SportsCenter, Get Up!, Inside the NFL, as well as made guest appearances on Stephen A. Smith’s First Take.

The 46-year-old addressed the abrupt end to his ESPN career during his ‘The Pivot Podcast,’ accusing the network of firing him under the pretense of a layoff. Clark said:

“So let me put this to bed. I wasn’t laid off. I was fired, right? They’re using layoffs as a cover and a camouflage for what they already intended on doing, but there was no cause for it, right? So because there was no cause for it, you couldn’t just fire me. So you had to wait to the layoff so you could camouflage it and veil it. Right, but here’s the other thing: if I was laid off, like everybody else, they came out on Tuesday. Mine came out on [previous] Friday.”

Clark claimed that his firing from ESPN was initially not a part of the layoffs and that the network wanted to fire him prior. However, he alleged that the layoffs were used as an excuse to shrug off any potential wrongful termination cases or backlash from the NFL veteran.

Ryan Clark Claims Kyren Lacy Statement Was Potential Reason Behind Layoff

While Clark did not pinpoint one specific reason that could have led to his departure from ESPN, he mentioned former LSU standout Kyren Lacy’s death last season, and his statements regarding the incident as a possible reason that could have rubbed higher-ups the wrong way.

In the aforementioned podcast, Clark continued,

“Let me tell you why I know I was fired. During the season, after the Kyren Lacy news broke, there were people on our network, along with me, who said something about it. Both of those people apologized, and so did I. I didn’t want to, right? I was told I couldn’t come to work if I didn’t. At that point, I said, “Well, I can’t come to work tomorrow because I don’t believe I did anything wrong.”

“Some conversations happened, and we got to that point. OutKick wrote an article about all the people who apologized. Two very prominent faces at ESPN, and they praised them for who they were and how they brought this thing back around. Then they bashed me, talked about how negative I was, and spoke about me in such a nasty way.”

After Lacy died at age 24, Clark got on SportsCenter and claimed that ‘Kyren Lacy was innocent’ and ‘someone needs to pay for the lies, deceit and evil he endured.’ However Clark had to later apologize after Louisiana State Police put out a video explaining the charges against Lacy.

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