Key Takeaways
- Deion Sanders publicly praised Ryan Clark as one of ESPN’s best talents after the network laid him off, questioning why Clark was cut while unnamed others remained and expressing hope that rumors about Cam Newton’s firing were untrue.
- Clark, who learned of his dismissal while on air and won a 2023 Sports Emmy, responded by sending prayers and encouragement to fellow laid-off colleagues, while Newton confirmed his own exit and urged athletes to own their platforms rather than rely solely on major networks.
- As Bart Scott, Karl Ravech, Tom Pelissero, Clark, and Newton were reportedly cut, ESPN simultaneously gave Tim Tebow a new multi-year deal, creating a stark contrast in the racial makeup of the network’s on-air lineup even as Newton thanked ESPN for helping him learn the TV business.
Deion Sanders is giving Ryan Clark his flowers after ESPN cut ties with the award-winning analyst during its latest round of layoffs. The Colorado football coach praised Clark as one of the network’s strongest voices while questioning why he was dismissed—and whether Cam Newton had also been shown the door.
“This is 1 of many reasons I love this brother to Life!” Sanders wrote on X while sharing Clark’s message of support for other laid-off employees. “This was arguably the best talent on the ESPN roster! How can You Know WHO still be there and @Realrclark25 AIN’T!”
Sanders did not identify the person he believes should have been cut instead. He did, however, address reports surrounding Newton, writing, “Please tell me the rumors of @CameronNewton ain’t true and this dude is STILL there.”
Clark responded to the upheaval by focusing on the employees leaving alongside him. “Sending prayers and love to all those laid off today by ESPN,” he wrote on X. “So many of you have poured your life into that company, & I know how you’re feeling right now.”
He added, “My hope is as this door closes another opens for you all.”
Clark reportedly learned about his dismissal while appearing on NFL Live and did not return to the show. The former Pittsburgh Steelers safety joined ESPN in 2015 and won a Sports Emmy for Outstanding Personality/Studio Analyst in 2023.
Newton later confirmed his own exit and warned other athletes against relying entirely on major networks. “If you don’t own your own platform, you’re going to get overlooked, bypassed and be extinct, just like dinosaurs,” he said on his 4th&1 show.
Bart Scott, Karl Ravech, and Tom Pelissero were also reportedly affected by the cuts. Newton nevertheless credited ESPN with helping him learn the television business, saying, “You cannot, you will not, make me hate my experience with ESPN.”
The cuts were part of a broader restructuring tied to ESPN’s integration of NFL Network assets and affected both on-air and behind-the-scenes employees.
