The awkward 2020 interview between Pat McAfee and Ryan Clark to resurface following ESPN’s firings

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Ryan Clark’s firing from ESPN has become a huge talking point in the world of NFL, with the new season just a matter of weeks away.

The 46-year-old is just one of numerous analysts being laid off by ESPN as the broadcaster looks to cut back on costs.

It is a firing that has not gone down well among other analysts, with plenty of public names sharing their concerns over social media in the days since.

It is believed Clark was informed of ESPN’s decision whilst on air during one of their NFL Live shows.

Further speculation is growing as it has been claimed by The Athletic that ESPN are negotiating a new bumper deal for Pat McAfee that could see him earn $60m per year.

With McAfee at the very center of the backlash amid Clark’s dismissal, an interaction between the two from 2020 has resurfaced.

What Pat McAfee said to Ryan Clark in controversial 2020 interview

Stephen A. Smith has shared his fury over Clark’s firing after admitting he spoke to the ESPN bosses to let them know he did not approve of their decision.

Clark is not the only ESPN analyst who has lost their job in recent hours, amid the speculation of McAfee being set to profit with a new deal.

Back in 2020, Clark made the suggestion that NFL kickers were not real players, which sparked an emphatic response from McAfee.

“Let me ask you a couple of questions, Ryan Clark. Shall we do this?” said McAfee.

“Ryan, have you run with a football in an NFL game? Have you had a rush? Have you thrown a pass in the NFL? Have you scored in an NFL game?

“Well, there are a lot of things that make up a football game: tackling, running, passing, kicking, blocking. There are a lot of things there. I’ve done them all. I’ve done every single one of them. You’ve done two out of the seven – who’s more of a football player, Ryan?”

Although not everyone agreed with Clark’s comments, there is a clear backlash over a professional losing his role in a bid to cut costs.

There has been a suggestion that ESPN were not impressed with Clark’s confrontational manner, which was seen with Peter Schrager during an NFL show last season.

However, the interaction between McAfee and Clark did not take any time to resurface given it is the former NFL kicker who could be in line to profit from some of the ESPN departures.