NFL star Nick Bosa is being slammed by social media users after appearing to celebrate Ryan Clark‘s sudden exit from ESPN.
Bosa, a former Ohio State University player and current San Francisco 49ers defensive player, shared a post on X about Clark’s departure, which apparently rubbed some the wrong way.
Ryan Clark is just one of the notable personalities to leave ESPN this week after the famed sports network made major cuts to its lineup.
On July 23, Bosa responded to a report from The Athletic about Clark’s departure from ESPN amid mass layoffs at the company. He responded with the OK hand sign emoji, seemingly showing his support for ESPN’s decision to part ways with the former Pittsburgh Steelers star.
Clark’s exit took many people by surprise, and according to The Blast, it was part of the company’s plan to downsize after recent changes. “Over the past several months, we’ve made significant progress integrating the NFL assets that we acquired into ESPN,” chairman Jimmy Pitaro told the staff in a published letter.
“Throughout this process, we have taken the time to carefully evaluate our collective teams, resources and organizational structure to best position us for the future. As a result, we had to make some difficult decisions about job impacts that we will be communicating today,” the letter continued.
For those unfamiliar, Bosa has built a reputation for making headlines with his outspoken and often controversial views, particularly on political issues.
Over the years, some NFL fans have labeled him a racist, and the reaction to his first post on X in more than 3.5 years suggests those accusations are still front and center.
The first response to his post was a GIF of a talk show host saying, “You are a racist.” Another user replied, “Brother, you’re not helping the allegations with this one.”
A third user chimed in, “This MAGA racist plug is not beating the allegations,” and a fourth said, “Of course you feel this way. You’re a MAGA racist and don’t like Black people.”
“MAGA Bosa celebrating a good Black analyst being fired?” someone else posted, and another added, “This [dude has] pure hatred for [Black people.”
Ryan Clark Was Asked To Leave ESPN While On Air
According to TMZ, Clark was laid off on Monday, July 20, while filming an episode of “NFL Live.”
Sources close to the network said that Clark was to be informed of the news on Tuesday, July 21, but a planned report from a rival news network threw a wrench in their plans.
Rumors began swirling that Clark was forced to leave the ESPN set on Monday; however, he clarified with a post on X that he wasn’t forced, but asked to leave.
The insider went on to say that Clark and his colleagues were stunned by the news, adding that none of the on-air talent had any insight on what was to come.
Ryan Clark Hoping A New Opportunity Presents Itself
Clark updated his social media followers on July 21, informing them that he was doing fine despite the upsetting news.
He even offered words of encouragement to his affected colleagues, which include Karl Ravech, Tom Pelissero, Cam Newton, Bart Scott, and David Lloyd.
“Sending prayers and love to all those laid off today by ESPN. So many of you have poured your life into that company, & I know how you’re feeling right now,” Clark wrote online. “My hope is as this door closes another opens for you all. God bless!”
Newton’s Exit Came With An Important Message
Newton shared a similar message after leaving ESPN, thanking the sports network for providing him with an opportunity to learn from some of the best in the industry. “You can’t make me hate ESPN,” he said on a recent episode of his podcast, “4th&1.”
Elsewhere in the episode, the former Carolina Panthers player said one of the biggest lessons he learned from working in the media is just how important ownership is.
“If this isn’t a way for all athletes and even content creators to learn one important rule of the times we live in right now, if you don’t own your own platform, you’re going to get overlooked, bypassed, and extinct like dinosaurs,” he said.
Luckily for Newton and Clark, they both own major sports podcasts, “4th&1” and “The Pivot,” regularly hosting some of the biggest names in sports and entertainment while maintaining full control over their platforms.