Former NFL player and current ESPN analyst Ryan Clark was reportedly laid off by the network on Monday, according to The Athletic. The timing of the announcement was particularly abrupt, as Clark was informed of the decision while in the middle of taping the program 'NFL Live'.
Sources told The Athletic that Clark, who had been with ESPN for over a decade, did not finish the show after learning of his termination. The layoffs are part of a broader round of cuts affecting on-air talent at both ESPN and its sister platform, NFL Network.
Clark, who was slated to be a prominent figure in the network's coverage of Super Bowl LXI next season, was reportedly earning more than $2 million annually. Internal discussions regarding his future at the company had been ongoing since February, according to reports. The nature and extent of further layoffs at ESPN remain unclear.