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ESPN personality Ryan Clark was fired in the middle of a live broadcast after more than a decade at the network, according to a report by The Athletic.
Clark, 46, was informed he was being let go during a taping of NFL Live on Monday, July 20. After being told of his termination, Clark did not finish the show.
"He did not finish the program," The Athletic's Andrew Marchand reported on Monday. "ESPN was expected to inform him tomorrow morning when it is anticipated the network [will] inform more employees of the layoffs."
Sources said Clark was abruptly told mid-broadcast "due to media inquiries into his departure and a fear that the news would leak out before they could inform him." ESPN had reportedly intended to officially fire Clark on Tuesday, July 21.
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The network is believed to be announcing additional layoffs on Tuesday.
In a memo sent to ESPN employees on Tuesday morning and obtained by Us, ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro confirmed the network "had to make some difficult decisions about job impacts that we will be communicating today."
"While most of the job impacts are tied to the acquisition, we will also notify colleagues in other parts of the company today that their positions have been impacted," the memo said. "We are committed to treating employees with compassion and respect and to providing support as they navigate this transition. Even in moments like these, the strength of ESPN comes from our people, our teamwork and our shared mission to serve sports fans."
The memo did not mention Clark or any other ESPN employees by name.
Clark had reportedly been on thin ice since September 2025, when he got into a viral on-air spat with ESPN's Peter Schrager on Get Up, according to Marchand.
When Schrager, 44, defended the play of Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Ceedee Lamb, Clark told him, "That's the non-player in you."
Prior to his broadcasting career, Clark played 13 seasons as a safety in the NFL, most notably with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
When Schrager asked Clark not to insult his intelligence, Clark rebutted, "Peter, what I need for you to do is not get mad and let me finish."
Hours after their disagreement, Clark apologized on social media.
"Today, I had an interaction with my colleague Schrager both on and off the air that I regret," he wrote via X.
It is not clear what happened between Clark and Schrager off air.
Clark broke his silence about his abrupt firing with a social media post on Tuesday morning.
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"Proof of Life…Before the madness of yesterday, I woke up, got in my Tundra, drove to Planet Fitness, and got to work," he shared via Instagram alongside a video of himself at the gym. "The rest of the day was eventful, but the journey continues. My peace is with God, and my humility comes from within. I'll continue to build myself so the world can never strip me of what's real.
He concluded, "Get moving today y'all! 🙏🏾."
Many of Clark's followers left messages of support, including actor Lamorne Morris, who wrote, "This man training for the war of the worlds!!!"
Former NFL linebacker Jamie Winborn commented, "God is making space for his blessing again, you know the pattern 💯."
