First Call: Ryan Clark responds to details about his ESPN dismissal; Jason Robertson discusses new contract - TribLIVE.com

What the report says

TribLIVE reported in its Thursday “First Call” roundup that former Pittsburgh Steelers safety Ryan Clark publicly responded after losing his ESPN role during a wave of job cuts at the network. The item cited earlier reporting from The Athletic that Clark was taken off an “NFL Live” broadcast Monday because ESPN feared word of his dismissal could leak before he was formally notified. TMZ later reported that Clark was not forced off the air, prompting Clark to post on social media that he asked whether he should be finished and was told yes. TribLIVE noted Clark had worked at ESPN for 11 years and remains involved with “The Pivot” podcast and “Inside the NFL.”

The roundup also covered former Steelers linebacker Bud Dupree’s account from Cam Heyward’s “Not Just Football” podcast. Dupree said Mike Tomlin discouraged him from running the 40-yard dash again at his Kentucky pro day after he had already run 4.56 seconds at the NFL Combine. Dupree suggested, in hindsight, that Tomlin wanted to keep him available for Pittsburgh, which selected him 22nd overall in 2015. TribLIVE added context that only two edge rushers were drafted higher that year and questioned how much a faster pro-day time would have changed the board.

In hockey news, TribLIVE cited Dallas Morning News reporting on Jason Robertson’s one-year, $12 million deal with the Dallas Stars, which avoided arbitration. The article said Seattle had explored a larger trade-and-sign scenario and that the Penguins were reportedly interested, but Robertson downplayed online speculation. TribLIVE also reported that former Penguin Danton Heinen signed a one-year, two-way contract to stay with the Columbus Blue Jackets after arriving in the Egor Chinakhov trade.