LSU legend Ryan Clark says he was fired by ESPN. ‘I couldn’t be too black.’ - NOLA.com

What the report says

NOLA.com reports that former LSU football standout Ryan Clark said he was fired by ESPN after 12 years as an analyst, rejecting the idea that he was merely caught up in a broader wave of cuts. Clark, a Marrero native and former Pittsburgh Steelers safety, discussed his exit on The Pivot, the podcast he co-hosts with Fred Taylor and Channing Crowder, after several recognizable ESPN personalities also left the network this week.

Clark said he believed he had changed how he presented himself in an effort to satisfy network expectations. He told the podcast he felt he could not respond to perceived disrespect or “be too black,” and said it hurt that even after making adjustments, ESPN still ended his tenure. NOLA.com noted that he became emotional when describing the importance of being embraced by people in New Orleans and the West Bank, saying that community acceptance was something he would not trade.

The report also cited The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand, who said an on-air disagreement between Clark and Peter Schrager contributed to the decision. The exchange happened during a “Get Up” segment about the Dallas Cowboys, when Clark referred to Schrager’s viewpoint as coming from “the non-player” in him; Schrager objected, and Clark later apologized. Clark said on The Pivot that he and Schrager do not have a personal issue.

NOLA.com identified Karl Ravech, Cam Newton and Tom Pelissero as others whose ESPN roles ended. ESPN’s detailed account of Clark’s departure was not included in the supplied article text.