Fans are “begging” ESPN to fire a prominent NFL analyst on the first day of the 2025 regular season.
The 2025 NFL regular season is beginning on Thursday night. The Philadelphia Eagles will be hosting the Dallas Cowboys at Lincoln Financial Field in Pennsylvania. The Eagles, of course, are coming off a 40-22 win over the Chiefs in Super Bowl 59. Meanwhile, the Cowboys, led by first-year head coach Brian Schottenheimer, will look to contend for playoff berth, after missing the postseason for the first time in four years in 2024.
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But on Day 1 of the 2025 NFL season, fans are not talking about the Eagles or the Cowboys. Instead, they are talking about ESPN NFL analyst Ryan Clark.
NFL crew on First Take.ESPN.
Clark, 45, played in the NFL from 2002-14. The undrafted free agent out of LSU played for the Giants, Steelers and Redskins. He was a Pro Bowler in 2011 and a Super Bowl champion in 2009 with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The former NFL veteran has since been working in sports media. He joined ESPN in March of 2015. Clark has also built up his own podcast, The Pivot Podcast, with his friends and retired NFL players Fred Taylor and Channing Crowder.
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But on Thursday, Clark is getting roasted for a controversial take.
Clark’s ‘generational’ talent take goes viral
Clark is claiming that Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning is not a “generational” quarterback talent. Manning, a five-star quarterback recruit and the nephew of Peyton and Eli Manning, was a Heisman Trophy frontrunner heading into the 2025 season. But Manning struggled in a Week 1 loss at Ohio State, throwing for less than 200 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
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“Arch Manning is not a generational talent. People placed expectations upon him without any evidence. He’s not Trevor Lawrence or Caleb Williams, who beat out returning starters as freshman. Instead Arch sat being a 7th round pick for 2 years. He’s a good player who will be very good, but let him to earn it,” he wrote on X.
“Arch has never faced top level competition. He didn’t play high level ball in Louisiana nor did he compete in the high school QB circuit. So, it’ll take time, & that’s ok.”
Thursday morning, appearing on ESPN’s “First Take,” Clark attempted to clarify his comments. However, instead of getting more people on his side, he doubled down with an even more controversial take.
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“I don’t think Tom Brady, I don’t think Drew Brees, I don’t think Peyton Manning are generational talents,” he said, as Stephen A. Smith and Dan Orlovksy looked on with major surprise.
Clark believes that “generational” talents are players like John Elway, Andrew Luck, Patrick Mahomes. Those players’ physical traits stand out more than players like Manning, Brady, Brees, etc. Elway was a consensus No. 1 overall pick, as was Luck. Mahomes, meanwhile, is considered arguably the most talented quarterback of all-time, with three Super Bowl wins in his 20s.
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NFL fans are now ‘begging’ for him to be fired
“Ryan Clark should be let go immediately. That’s a fireable take,” one fan wrote.
“Yes, ESPN should fire Ryan Clark,” another fan wrote.
“Please fire Ryan Clark. This is the worst take I have ever seen in my life,” another fan wrote.
“ESPN needs to fire Ryan Clark right away,” another angry NFL fan shared on social media on Thursday morning.
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – FEBRUARY 05: Ryan Clark attends The New Heights House Party hosted by Jason & Travis Kelce on February 05, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Erika Goldring/Getty Images)Erika Goldring/Getty Images
This is not Clark’s first controversy
Earlier this year, Clark got into a very public feud with former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III. Clark accused RGIII of not being able to relate to the Black community, specifically women, because he’s married to a white woman.
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Clark was taking issue with RGIII’s criticism of WNBA star Angel Reese. RGIII accused Clark, his former colleague at ESPN, of “crossing the line” by bringing his wife into the conversation.
One anonymous NFL analyst, speaking to Outkick, called out Clark for very much crossing the line.
“RC is a former player. There are two rules in the locker room: you don’t talk about a man’s girl or their money. Ryan knows better. That (expletive) wouldn’t fly face to face,” the former NFL player said.
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ESPN is standing by Clark, though
ESPN did not publicly discipline Clark for his comments during his feud with Robert Griffin III. He’s unlikely to face any kind of punishment for his comments on Arch Manning and Co., too. Of course, a punishment wouldn’t really be fitting for what he said about “generational” quarterbacks.
Still, this is the kind of content that ESPN is choosing to promote, on the first day of the 2025 NFL season.
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It’s understandable for fans to have an issue with it.
This story was originally reported by The Spun on Sep 4, 2025, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add The Spun as a Preferred Source by clicking here.