Ryan Clark Says ESPN Used His Firing to Shift Attention
November 6, 2026 — Former ESPN analyst Ryan Clark says the network’s handling of his July firing was deliberate, and that news of his departure was leaked to divert attention toward a profile of WNBA player Sophie Cunningham and her remarks about transgender athletes in women’s sports. He discussed the firing on the “All the Smoke” podcast on Thursday.
Clark said ESPN told him during a commercial break that the news might leak to OutKick. He described the move as unprofessional and said the person who called him joked that the outlet would reveal it. Clark was then contacted about appearing on SportsCenter; he said he replied that he had already been fired.
Cunningham’s ESPN interview was published the day after Clark was dismissed on air. Her comments about protecting girls in sports from competing against biological males sparked debate across the WNBA and beyond. Clark said he believed the timing of the interview and the leak was intentional, adding that he could not have changed what happened.
He also pointed to his absence from ESPN promotions for the 2027 Super Bowl as a sign he was being sidelined. Clark joined ESPN in 2015 and won a Sports Emmy in 2023. He now hosts a weekly NFL show with NFL Studios and co-hosts “The Pivot,” which has a multiyear Netflix deal. His ESPN contract, including a non-compete that bars him from working as an NFL analyst for another network, runs through the end of February.
Clark’s Firing Raises Questions About ESPN’s Handling of a Transgender Sports Debate
November 6, 2026 — Ryan Clark says ESPN’s decision to fire him on air and leak the news was part of a deliberate effort to redirect attention toward WNBA player Sophie Cunningham’s comments about transgender athletes. The timing puts the network’s treatment of Clark alongside a heated debate over who belongs in women’s sports.
On the “All the Smoke” podcast on Thursday, Clark said he was told during a commercial break that OutKick might reveal his firing. He described the handling as unprofessional and said a person on the call joked about the outlet breaking the news. Clark said he later received a message asking him to appear on SportsCenter, and replied that he had already been fired.
Cunningham’s ESPN profile appeared the day after Clark was dismissed on air. Her remarks about protecting girls from competing against biological males stirred debate across the WNBA and beyond. Clark said the sequence was intentional and that the leak helped make Cunningham the focus.
Clark also said he had noticed he was left out of ESPN promotions for the 2027 Super Bowl. He joined the network in 2015 and won a Sports Emmy in 2023. He now hosts a weekly NFL program with NFL Studios and co-hosts “The Pivot,” which has a multiyear Netflix agreement. His ESPN contract and non-compete run through the end of February.
Clark’s Accusation Ties ESPN Firing to Debate Over Women’s Sports
November 6, 2026 — Ryan Clark says ESPN used the timing of his firing to draw attention away from WNBA player Sophie Cunningham’s defense of women’s sports. His allegation links the network’s handling of his departure to a debate over transgender athletes competing in women’s leagues.
Speaking on “All the Smoke” on Thursday, Clark said ESPN told him during a commercial break that OutKick might leak the news. He said the person who called him joked about the outlet revealing it, which Clark described as a “snake-like” move. Afterward, he received a message asking him to do SportsCenter and said he responded that he had been fired.
Cunningham’s interview with ESPN appeared the day after Clark was let go on air. Her remarks about protecting girls from competing against biological males drew attention across the WNBA and beyond. Clark argued that the timing was intentional and that the interview became the headline instead of ESPN’s decision to fire him.
Clark said his absence from ESPN’s promotional material for the 2027 Super Bowl had been another warning sign. He joined the network in 2015 and won a Sports Emmy in 2023. He now hosts a weekly NFL show with NFL Studios and co-hosts “The Pivot,” which has a multiyear Netflix deal. His ESPN contract bars him from working as an NFL analyst for another network until it expires at the end of February.
Reported by Newsweek, New York Post.
