Steelers Now
On Tuesday, Pittsburgh Steelers free safety Ryan Clark reacted to being let go from ESPN after 11 years. Clark is part of the first wave of layoffs ESPN is making this week.
Clark was notified he was laid off in the middle of a live broadcast of “NFL Live” on Monday because ESPN feared the news would leak to the media before they could tell him in person.
“Sending prayers and love to all those laid off today by ESPN. So many of you have poured your life into that company, & I know how you’re feeling right now. My hope is as this door closes another opens for you all. God bless!” Clark wrote on X.
Clark is one of the highest-profile on-air personalities ESPN is letting go of, earning around $2 million per year. Whether Clark’s contract is up or he’s being axed with time left on the deal is unclear. He joined the network in 2015 after retiring from the NFL and re-upped in 2021. Another contract negotiation in 2024 was more contentious, with Clark posting on social media that he believed he was worth more than what he was being paid.
Clark has served a role on ESPN’s “Monday Night Countdown”, a pregame show, and the network will broadcast is first Super Bowl in February. Clark also regularly appeared on one of ESPN’s flagship daily programs, “First Take.”
Since 2022, Clark has been part of “The Pivot Podcast,” a show he hosts alongside fellow former NFL players Fred Taylor and Channing Crowder.
Clark played eight seasons with the Steelers, sharing the back end of the secondary with Troy Polamalu. In total, he racked up 667 tackles, 12 interceptions, three forced fumbles and six fumble recoveries in black and gold. He was known as enforcer in his role, dishing out several notable bone-jarring hits.
Brendan Howe contributed.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Ryan Clark Breaks Silence after Being Laid Off from ESPN
