On Tuesday, the ESPN star delivered one of his most emotional monologues in recent memory after longtime colleague Ryan Clark was laid off as part of the network’s latest wave of job cuts. While Smith acknowledged that layoffs are part of the sports media business, he made it crystal clear that he strongly disagreed with ESPN’s decision and believes the company lost one of its biggest stars.
For sports fans who have watched Clark become one of the NFL’s most respected analysts, Smith’s comments painted a picture of just how highly he is regarded inside ESPN.
Stephen A. Smith: “I am not happy about this decision”
Smith didn’t waste time sharing how he felt.
After confirming Clark’s departure, he immediately expressed his disappointment.
“What I care about is that my brother Ryan Clark, a person that I consider to be arguably the best NFL analyst in America, is no longer a member of ESPN.”
He then admitted just how difficult the news was to process.
“I can’t even tell y’all how much that hurts.”
Smith also revealed that ESPN executives already knew where he stood.
“I am not happy about this decision one bit.”
“The bosses know I’m not happy about this decision. I’ve made that very, very clear.”
Later in the video, Smith disclosed that he was actually asked for his opinion before the layoffs became official.
“Was I asked what I thought? Yes, I was.”
“And of course I said we have to keep him.”
Ryan Clark earned Stephen A.’s respect
Smith spent much of the video explaining why Clark meant so much to him, both professionally and personally.
He described Clark as someone who challenged him intellectually every time they worked together.
“Anytime I talked about the NFL, anytime I talked about life, I walked away feeling that way about him because I had just finished talking with him or debating with him or arguing with him about something because the brother’s that smart.”
He continued by praising Clark’s character.
“He’s that conscientious. He’s that thoughtful. He’s that sincere. He’s that real. He’s that authentic.”
Smith also defended Clark against critics who have questioned him over the years.
“There’s nothing he’d say on social media or on television that he wouldn’t tell you to your face if that’s how he felt.”
He acknowledged Clark wasn’t perfect but believes his intentions were always genuine.
“Does that mean he was perfect? No. Does that mean he was right all the time? No. But he was conscientious and he was thoughtful.”
“First Take ain’t going to be the same”
One of the strongest moments came when Smith discussed Clark’s impact across ESPN’s programming.
He didn’t believe any of the shows Clark regularly appeared on would benefit from his absence.
“First Take’s not going to be any better without him.”
“Get Up’s not going to be any better without him.”
“NFL Live is not going to be better without Ryan Clark.”
“SportsCenter is not going to be better without Ryan Clark.”
“Monday Night Football is not going to be better without Ryan Clark.”
Those comments offered rare public criticism from one of ESPN’s biggest personalities following a major corporate decision.
Stephen A. believes another network will hire Clark quickly
Although Smith was devastated by the news, he made it clear he doesn’t expect Clark to be unemployed for very long.
He pointed to Clark’s résumé, his football knowledge and his work ethic as reasons another network should move quickly.
“Ryan Clark is arguably the best NFL analyst in America.”
He also added:
“A network would be a fool not to gobble him up.”
Smith even mentioned several possible landing spots, including NBC, CBS, FOX, Amazon and Netflix.
His confidence never wavered.
“His career is far from over.”
More than coworkers
Perhaps the most emotional part of Smith’s message had nothing to do with football.
It centered on friendship.
He revealed that Clark always called him before publicly criticizing him, making sure there were never any surprises between them.
Smith also admitted he wished he could have done more to keep Clark at ESPN.
“I just wish that I could have been in enough of an influential or powerful position to prevent his exit from happening.”
He closed the video with words that left little doubt about how much Clark means to him.
“I’m doing this because I want it recognized for the record how much I’m going to miss this brother, how much I appreciate this brother, how sad I am that this brother is gone from ESPN.”
Then came perhaps the most memorable line of all.
“It ain’t going to be the same without you.”
Bottom Line
Stephen A. Smith rarely lets viewers see this level of emotion, but Ryan Clark’s departure clearly hit differently. While he accepted that layoffs are part of the television business, he never hid his belief that ESPN made the wrong call. Smith repeatedly described Clark as one of the best NFL analysts in America, praised his professionalism and defended his character. If Smith is right, it may not be long before another major network gives Clark a new platform.
Don Drysdale
I am a fan of all Detroit sports and LOVE to write about them!
