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Stephen A. Smith has commented on the mass layoffs announced by ESPN, which led to Ryan Clark’s termination. The sports network also cut ties with other notable on-air personalities, including Cam Newton, Bart Scott, and Charles Davis.
Positioned as the de facto face of ESPN, its highest-paid talent, and the most prominent African American at the network, Smith’s response shows he’s trying to navigate balancing toeing the corporate line and maintaining loyalty to his colleagues. His reaction to Clark’s dismissal, one whom he considers a close friend and premier “First Take” contributor, offered a rare glimpse into that internal tension.
RELATED: Beyond the ESPN Firing: Why Ryan Clark’s Sudden Exit Is the Best Thing to Happen to His Career
In a video posted on his YouTube channel on Tuesday, Smith revealed how he felt about Clark’s firing,
“He’s a man, and so he’s gonna handle it the way men do, and we understand that,” Smith said. “But I’m going to miss him. I am not happy about this decision one bit.”
“I don’t know all those details, and to be quite honest with you, I don’t care,” Smith continued. “What I care about is my brother Ryan Clark. A person that I consider to be arguably the best NFL analyst in America is no longer a member of ESPN. “
Although he is the network’s $100 million man, Smith was powerless to save Clark from being fired. Smith claimed that he made it “very clear” to the leadership at ESPN that he did not agree with their plan to let Clark go.
“The bosses know I’m not happy about this decision. I’ve made that very, very clear. But it’s also important that myself, and anybody else in the world of business, be grown-ups and understand that these are the kind of things that happen when layoffs happen,” said Smith.
As the video went on, Smith said that it was extremely difficult for him to be silent while many spewed misinformation about Clark’s termination.
”Damn near got blisters on my tongue and my fingers from biting my tongue and biting my fingers from refraining from going after folks when I saw how people were talking about him,” Smith said. “They don’t know him at all. They don’t know him at all.”
Following the layoffs, ESPN’s Jimmy Pitaro attempted to soften the massive blow in a memo issued on Tuesday. He wrote, “We had to make some difficult decisions about job impacts that we will be communicating today.” He added, “The network is committed to treating employees with compassion and respect and to providing support as they navigate this transition.”
Meanwhile, Clark isn’t losing any sleep over the shakeup, because he holds a card most traditional media personalities don’t: true ownership. The former NFL player, alongside co-hosts Fred Taylor and Channing Crowder, built The Pivot Podcast into an independent media juggernaut. The platform gives him total autonomy, which is rare in modern sports broadcasting.
Outside of ESPN, “The Pivot” will still command A-list guests and boast a massive, loyal audience. Clark doesn’t need to worry about a corporate door closing. He’s already holding the keys to his own house.
Taking to Instagram, Clark shared that he is still in the game and looking forward to his next chapter after his abrupt firing.
”Proof of Life…Before the madness of yesterday, I woke up, got in my Tundra, drove to Planet Fitness, and got to work,” he wrote. “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. Get moving today, y’all!”
