yardbarker
Ryan Clark is no longer a part of ESPN, as the former Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl champion was let go in a wild series of events on Monday.
Here is the latest on Clarks departure from the worldwide leader.
Former Pittsburgh Steelers safety and Super Bowl champion Ryan Clark is no longer with ESPN after a dramatic exit from the NFL Live set that has sent shockwaves through the sports media world.
The longtime ESPN personality, who became one of the networks most recognizable NFL analysts after retiring from playing, was informed mid-show that his time with the company was over.
Andrew Marchand first reported the news, which Clark and ESPN both confirmed shortly after.
According to the reporting, ESPN executives approached Clark during a live broadcast of NFL Live, a show he helped win Emmy Awards on, with roughly 10 minutes remaining.
Clark then proceeded to not finish the broadcast.
The reason executives chose to deliver the news mid-broadcast was their concern that Clark would discover his departure through social media or online reports before the network could inform him directly.
Leaks about his dismissal had begun surfacing ahead of ESPNs originally planned timeline.
The network had intended to notify Clark on Tuesday, but the accelerating reports forced their hand in the most awkward way imaginable.
The circumstances surrounding Clarks departure remain murky.
There have been various theories, reports, and rumors circulating about why ESPN decided to part ways with the former Steelers defensive back.
The truth is, the full picture hasnt come into focus yet, and separating fact from speculation will take time.
What is clear is that the manner of the split was anything but clean.
Pulling someone aside (albeit figuratively) during a live television broadcast to deliver this kind of news is extraordinary, regardless of the reasoning behind it.
Clark had built himself into a fixture at the worldwide leader, and for it to end in the middle of a show he helped elevate speaks to how quickly the situation deteriorated behind the scenes.
The bottom line is this: Ryan Clark will be fine.
While his ESPN chapter has closed, Clark has built a significant platform outside the network.
His role on the Pivot Podcast has arguably grown larger than his ESPN presence, giving him a direct audience that doesnt depend on any single media company.
Clark will almost certainly share his perspective on what happened in the coming days or weeks.
Given his reputation for candor and his existing platform, his version of events will reach a massive audience whenever he chooses to tell it.
More must-reads: Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams.
Emailed daily.
Always free!.