‘Fired’ ESPN expert in tears amid brutal takedown of ‘camouflaged’ decision after co-host’s emotional tribute

Ryan Clark has opened up about his ESPN exit, and teared up after insisting he was ‘fired’ — not laid off.

The former NFL safety-turned-analyst departed the network Monday, and was informed of the decision to cut ties while live on the air.

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Other high profile names, including Cam Newton and Tom Pelissero, were later laid off in a restructure that affected both ESPN and NFL Network employees.

Clark’s exit has generated the most headlines, and the Super Bowl XLIII champion appeared on his Pivot podcast Friday, to discuss his situation openly.

Ryan Clark claims ESPN layoffs were ‘cover’ for being fired

“Let me put this to bed — I wasn’t laid off, I was fired,” he told his co-hosts and close friends, Fred Taylor and Channing Crowder.

“They’re using layoffs as a cover and a camouflage for what they already intended on doing.

“But there was no cause for it.

“So because there was no cause for it, you couldn’t just fire me, you had to wait until the layoffs so you could camouflage it and veil it.”

Speculating on the reasons behind his ‘firing’ earlier in the conversation, Clark implied he couldn’t be his authentic self during on-air debates.

“For three years we never shied away from any topic… we did this year,” he said.

“I knew I couldn’t have any beef. I knew I couldn’t respond to disrespect. I knew, for a lack of a better word, I couldn’t be too Black.

“What makes me sad is, in even trying to adjust to be more of what certain people wanted, they still fired me.”

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As he reflected on his time at ESPN, Clark teared up when asked if there was anything he’d ‘do differently’ in hindsight.

Ryan Clark in tears over emotional tribute from podcast hosts

“When I go home, and this kid from the West Bank (Marrero, Louisiana) is so accepted in New Orleans now, I wouldn’t change that. Never,” he added, as he wiped away tears.

“All I ever wanted to do was be accepted. So yeah, I wouldn’t change.

“You know, I feel like there’s a group of people, a faction of individuals who wanted to devalue my voice, who wanted to take away my platform. I feel like I let them win.

“But then there’s the other side of it. My platform isn’t as big anyway, or it’s not as impactful anyway, if I don’t do those things. If I’m not that person, if I’m not authentically me, right?

“And it and it’s not even something I can prove, that if I was different, they wouldn’t have fired me. I can’t prove that.

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“So, if I can’t prove that, I would have hated to be fired being something I wasn’t. Oh my gosh, that would be the worst.”

Clark’s admission appeared to leave Taylor and Crowder on the verge of tears too, and his Pivot co-hosts thanked him for being so vulnerable.

“Man, RC. I was trying to figure out who was going to pass who the the tissue. I think all of us were crying,” Taylor said.

“The beauty in what I’m hearing, that’s what this show is. That’s why the Pivot was created. For moments like this.

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“Moments of adversity, moments that test your resolve, that test your character.

“But, you know, (seeing) the togetherness. The community banding with each other. And one thing I’ve noticed in the comments, now I’ve been creeping, is how many people are in support of you.”

Crowder, meanwhile, admitted: “That was a tough one. I didn’t expect it. Tough. I expected anger out of RC. I ain’t going to lie. I expected you to snap when we started to ask you. I didn’t expect you to get emotional, man.

“You got me going.”

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