ESPN make decision on Tim Tebow future amid Ryan Clark firing and further layoffs

Employees of ESPN and NFL Network are anxiously waiting to hear on the next wave of job cuts.

The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand reported that the cuts will hit a handful of on-camera personalities along with a much bigger pool of NFL Network staffers.

Getty

Cuts have been expected since ESPN took control of NFL Network on April Fools Day, a move that cost the worldwide leader $3 billion dollars.

Several NFL Network employees have signed contract extensions, including Ian Rapoport, but others haven’t been as lucky.

Ryan Clark was the first predominant face to go, informed during an appearance on Monday’s NFL Live show, in a move which has garnered backlash towards the network.

The reason ESPN told Clark during the show was due to a fear that the news would ‘leak’ before they could inform him.

The broadcaster’s job had potentially been in ‘jeopardy’ since the Super Bowl in February, Marchand added.

The network are keeping one of their most recognizable college football analysts on the books.

ESPN announced that Tim Tebow has signed a multi-year extension to continue serving as an analyst on SEC Network.

The former Florida Gator has contributed to the show for the last 13 years, becoming a central pillar for the show SEC Nation.

In addition to his SEC work, he will continue to to serve as an analyst during ESPN’s College Football Playoff programs and on the radio.

“Tim’s unrivaled experience in the SEC combined with his knowledge and genuine passion for the game make him one of the sport’s most credible voices, particularly among the SEC Nation fanbase,” ESPN content president Burke Magnus said in the release.

Getty

Getty

“Tim is one of the legendary players in the history of college football and he will continue to be a fixture in our coverage on SEC Network and across ESPN,

“I love this game and getting to talk about it every Saturday with the crews on SEC Network and ESPN is a gift I don’t take lightly,” Tebow added.

“SEC fans bring a passion that never gets old, and I’m grateful I get to keep doing this alongside people who feel like family.”

The former Heisman Trophy winner will be joined by some fresh faces on the SEC program this year.

Matt Barrie takes over from longtime host Laura Rutledge and Chase Daniel replaces Jordan Rodgers.

ESPN let go 30 off-camera employees in the Spring, tying the layoffs to the NFL Network integration.

Getty

With Clark’s firing, it’s clear to see even established names are not safe from the chopping block.

In an environment where even a marquee voice like Clark can be pulled mid-broadcast, Tebow’s multiyear deal shows just how valuable he is to the network.

Stay up to date with the NFL across all our talkSPORT platforms – subscribe to our YouTube channel for the latest news, opinion, exclusive interviews and our  daily unfiltered, unscripted show ‘The S* Word, from 8am ET