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Former Pittsburgh Steelers safety Ryan Clark was let go by ESPN during a live taping of NFL Live. The Pro Bowl and Super Bowl-winning analyst, famously known for predicting Dak Prescott would be the 2026 NFL MVP, was pulled midway through Monday’s broadcast.
Underdog NFL posted this in one of their social media posts on X on July 21, 2026, at around 2.42 am.
“ESPN parted ways with Ryan Clark, per @AndrewMarchand,” the caption read.
According to The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand, ESPN initially planned to notify Clark on Tuesday morning alongside a wider wave of network layoffs. However, media inquiries forced the network’s hand.
Fearing the news would leak and Clark would read about his firing online first, executives decided to inform him immediately. Ryan Clark was informed about the news of ESPN letting him go. He was actively hosting his show at the time.
Clark joined ESPN in 2015 and built a strong reputation across major programs like NFL Live, First Take, and SportsCenter. Under a contract signed in February 2024, he was earning over $2 million annually and was expected to play a major role in ESPN’s upcoming Super Bowl coverage.
The sudden exit marks the beginning of a broader series of cuts. ESPN and NFL Network are preparing for further staff reductions affecting both on-air talent and behind-the-scenes employees.
How Ryan Clark’s ESPN exit got leaked before the network was ready
ESPN parted ways with NFL analyst Ryan Clark. The news leaked before the network could announce it. Reports say ending his $2-million-a-year contract was a mutual choice, but Fox’s sports site OutKick broke the story first, forcing ESPN to scramble.
Over the past year, Clark clashed with several co-hosts. During a live segment on Get Up, he dismissed analyst Peter Schrager’s opinions because Schrager never played professional football. He also got into a heated personal dispute with Robert Griffin III.
OutKick’s Bobby Burack noted that a lot of ESPN’s staff were reluctant to work alongside Clark, citing his lack of professionalism.
“ESPN talents have expressed to OutKick since Saturday that they don’t want to work alongside Clark,” Burack noted.
While Clark loses his major ESPN role and a planned spot on the upcoming Super Bowl broadcast, he will still host Inside the NFL and his podcast, The Pivot.
