Former ESPN analyst Ryan Clark claims network leaked his firing to OutKick

Ryan Clark, who was dismissed from ESPN this week, told listeners on his podcast The Pivot that he was fired rather than laid off and that the network deliberately leaked the news to the Fox News-owned outlet OutKick. He said the leak was intended to damage his reputation and give ESPN a public-relations advantage.

"I wasn’t laid off. I was fired. They’re using layoffs as a cover and a camouflage for what they already intended on doing," Clark said.

Clark recounted hearing about his departure on Monday’s NFL Live, suggesting the information had been circulated the previous Friday. He linked the alleged collaboration to a controversy last fall involving inaccurate reporting on a car crash that led to the death of LSU player Kyren Lacy. Clark said OutKick had praised ESPN personalities who apologized while criticizing him.

He claimed he once threatened to stop working for ESPN over disagreements about handling the Lacy story, and that an OutKick article later portrayed him negatively. Clark said he warned ESPN executives Burke Magnus and David Roberts about potential coverage from OutKick.

According to Clark, the timing of OutKick’s report on his firing prompted him to leave NFL Live mid-show. He argued that ESPN benefited from the outlet’s coverage, describing it as a coordinated effort to spin the story in the network’s favor.