FIRST TAKE

ESPN Star Breaks Down in Tears After Mid-Show Firing

Network bosses said they didn’t want him to find out about his dismissal online.

Former ESPN commentator Ryan Clarke is speaking out after his shock on-air firing.

The 46-year-old former NFL safety was fired during last Monday’s NFL Live show, according to sources speaking to The Athletic, and did not finish the broadcast.

The sources told the outlet that ESPN bosses did it during the show because “they did not want him to read it online before being told in person.”

THE REAL STORY

ESPN Star Gives Blunt Response to Mid-Show Firing Claim

Martha McHardy

During the latest episode of his Pivot Podcast, he spoke with his co-host and former Jacksonville Jaguars running back Fred Taylor, 50, who asked whether there was anything from his career with the network that he would do differently.

“That’s a good question,” Clark said. “It depends on when you ask me. When I see people in public, OGs, aunties and stuff, and they tell me they’re proud of me, and they’re proud of like…”

He then had to collect himself to fight off tears.

“And they’re proud of like the way I represent the community,” he continued. “Yeah, I wouldn’t change anything, cause that means the world to me.”

“When I go home, and this kid from the West Bank is so accepted in New Orleans now, I wouldn’t change that,” he continued. “All I ever wanted to do was be accepted. So yeah, I wouldn’t change.”

In a memo obtained by the Daily Beast, ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro said the network had arrived at “difficult decisions made about job impacts.”

He said the hierarchy would “notify colleagues in other parts of the company today that their positions have been impacted.”

“Over the past several months, we’ve made significant progress integrating the NFL assets that we acquired into ESPN,” he wrote. “Throughout this process, we have taken the time to carefully evaluate our collective teams, resources and organizational structure to best position us for the future.”

“We are committed to treating employees with compassion and respect and to providing support as they navigate this transition.”

Among the layoffs were former Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton, 37, and NFL reporter Tom Pelissero, 45.

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Harry ThompsonNews Reporter

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