ESPN announces layoffs tied to NFL Network acquisition, including on-air talent

ESPN will lay off employees for the first time since 2021 as it integrates assets acquired from the NFL, chairman Jimmy Pitaro said in a memo to staff on Tuesday. The memo explained that the cuts stem from the purchase of NFL Network, NFL Fantasy and RedZone distribution rights, a deal that gave the league a 10% equity stake in ESPN and was cleared by regulators in January. Pitaro wrote that the company had evaluated its teams and structure and “had to make some difficult decisions about job impacts.”

Most of the positions eliminated are in production and behind-the-scenes roles, but several on-air personalities were also affected. Former NFL analyst Ryan Clark, who joined ESPN in 2015, learned of his termination during a live broadcast of “NFL Live.” Clark later posted on social media, expressing sympathy for colleagues who were let go.

Other notable figures among those impacted include veteran broadcaster Karl Ravech, who had been with ESPN since 1993 and recently called “Sunday Night Baseball,” and Tom Pelissero, an NFL Network reporter since 2017. The cuts coincide with broader workforce reductions announced across Disney’s businesses this week.

"Over the past several months, we’ve made significant progress integrating the NFL assets that we acquired into ESPN," Pitaro wrote.

"While most of the job impacts are tied to the acquisition, we will also notify colleagues in other parts of the company today that their positions have been impacted. We are committed to treating employees with compassion and respect and to providing support as they navigate this transition."