ESPN NFL analyst Ryan Clark continues to be a headache for the worldwide leader in sports. I’m not saying he should stick to sports by any means, but when he is talking about anything outside of the Xs and Os of the game (which he is actually really good at), he finds himself stating ludicrous things.
On Thursday’s First Take, Clark criticized Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry for proposing a statue of the late conservative activist Charlie Kirk on LSU’s campus. Clark called it “the second most ridiculous thing [Landry] said this week,” referencing the governor’s earlier joke about preferring President Donald Trump to select LSU’s next football coach over Athletic Director Scott Woodward.
Clark added: “The first was standing on campus and saying he wanted to put a statue of somebody, Charlie Kirk, that doesn’t represent the people of Louisiana.”
ESPN personality Ryan Clark tried shaming Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry for suggesting that LSU erect a statue of Charlie Kirk…
Reminder: This is a “sports” show
— Jon Root (@JonnyRoot_) October 30, 2025
NEW: Stephen A. Smith looks completely unamused as Ryan Clark whines about Charlie Kirk and says he “doesn’t represent the people of Louisiana.”
The meltdown came after Gov. Jeff Landry called on LSU to erect a statue of Charlie Kirk.
“It’s the second most ridiculous thing he… pic.twitter.com/9cIhmBYUXL
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) October 30, 2025
Let’s unpack this, starting with context: First Take is a sports debate show, not a political forum. Discussing a proposed campus statue tied to a conservative figure—who was tragically murdered less than two months ago—feels wildly off-topic.
More critically, Clark’s core claim is factually dubious. He insists Kirk “doesn’t represent the people of Louisiana.” Yet Donald Trump, whom Kirk vigorously supported as founder of Turning Point USA, won the state in 2024 by 22 percentage points (59.9% to 38.2%, per official results). Kirk’s advocacy for conservative values like free speech, limited government, and campus activism clearly aligns with a majority of Louisiana voters. Dismissing that as unrepresentative ignores electoral reality.
Third point, what does it say about Clark that he is going to use his time on ESPN airwaves to speak ill of someone who was tragically murdered not even two months ago, while Kirk’s loved ones are still grieving?
This is the latest among a long list of asinine things that Clark has said as of late on the network. Recently, he declared Kyren Lacy innocent of negligent homicide charges, while also labeling Louisiana police officer Tyler Werner a criminal. Both things were not true.
Over the summer, he shamed former Heisman trophy winning quarterback Robert Griffin III for marrying a white woman, saying his opinions because of who he was married to, were irrelevant. For the record, Clark’s first wife was white.
Clark also belittled NFL insider Peter Schrager for not playing in the league, which did not make his bosses too happy, as Schrager is one of the network’s most-exciting hires in recent memory. Going back further, he refused to go on-air with Sage Steele, who did not share his political views.
Clark has issued multiple on-air apologies over the years for similar missteps, yet ESPN keeps elevating him on high-visibility shows like Monday Night Countdown, First Take, and Get Up. At what point does the liability outweigh his on-field expertise? Networks like ESPN thrive on bold voices, but consistent factual errors, personal attacks, and off-topic rants risk alienating viewers and undermining credibility. ESPN should consider limiting Clark to pure football analysis—or parting ways if the headaches persist.
