Stephen A. Smith Says He Fought ESPN Over Ryan Clark's Firing

The network's top personality says bosses sought his input before dismissing the analyst, then overruled his objections

ESPN star Stephen A. Smith said he pushed back against network executives before they fired fellow analyst Ryan Clark, revealing that bosses had asked for his opinion on the move and then disregarded it, according to Fox News.

"I am not happy," Smith said, describing his reaction to how the situation was handled.

Smith, one of ESPN's most prominent on-air voices, said the episode left him visibly shaken, according to Fox News. His comments offered a rare public window into internal tension at the sports network over personnel decisions affecting its talent lineup.

Clark, a former NFL player who transitioned into broadcasting, had been a regular on ESPN's programming before his firing. Fox News did not report the network's stated reasoning for the dismissal, but Smith's remarks suggest he lobbied against the decision before it was finalized.

The disclosure adds a personal note to a shake-up at one of sports media's most-watched platforms, with Smith positioning himself as an advocate for a colleague even as executives moved forward without his backing.

— Compiled from reporting by Fox News.