Emmanuel Acho, a former ESPN college football and NFL analyst, has publicly criticized the network's method of firing longtime NFL analyst Ryan Clark. Acho described the situation as "wild" in a post on X, formerly Twitter, questioning the decision to inform Clark of his departure during a live broadcast of "NFL Live."
According to reports, Clark learned of his termination while on air. ESPN apparently decided to call Clark during the show after news of his impending departure began circulating on social media, aiming to prevent him from finding out through unofficial channels. However, the broadcast was interrupted, and Clark did not finish the segment or the show.
Acho, who also formerly worked for ESPN and played in the NFL, commented that while he has experienced being fired via social media by what he termed "cowards," the approach taken with Clark was also inappropriate. He suggested that former athletes, accustomed to difficult news like cuts and injuries during their playing careers, can generally handle bad news directly.
Clark was reportedly among a group of employees scheduled to be notified of their departures on Tuesday as part of broader ESPN "playoffs," a term that appears to refer to personnel reductions. Acho asserted that Clark is an "objectively" good analyst and credited him with helping "NFL Live" earn Emmy Awards that might not have been achieved without his contributions.
Reports from The Athletic suggest that Clark's relationship with ESPN had deteriorated following an on-air disagreement with analyst Peter Schrager on September 5. During a discussion about Dallas Cowboys star CeeDee Lamb, Clark accused Schrager of having a "non-player" perspective, which Schrager challenged, stating, "Oh, stop! Don't belittle me like that. I can come and say, as three ex-players are saying one thing, and give an alternative perspective that maybe CeeDee Lamb did play well." Clark later issued an apology.
Acho offered advice to those entering sports television, recommending they establish their own shows to gain more control over their careers. He noted that as talent becomes more valuable and expensive, networks may struggle to retain them, citing examples like Pat McAfee, Stephen A. Smith, and Mike Greenberg who command significant salaries for their daily programs on ESPN. Acho himself co-hosts the late-night sports and culture podcast "Speakeasy," which he launched in 2025 with co-host LeSean McCoy.