More layoffs today at ESPN, NFL Network following Ryan Clark ouster

ESPN is going through another round of layoffs Monday, this time stemming from its purchase of the NFL Network.

Both will target on-air talent and behind-the-scenes employees during the cutbacks, according to sources not authorized to speak publicly. The layoffs are part of wider cutbacks at Disney previewed in April by CEO Josh D’Amaro and a consolidation of employees at ESPN and the NFL Network.

In a note to staff Tuesday morning, ESPN chairperson Jimmy Pitaro said the company was forced to “make some difficult decisions about job impacts” stemming from the merger, and that the moves were intended to “best position us for the future.” Employees are being notified Tuesday, Pitaro said.

“While most of the job impacts are tied to the acquisition, we will also notify colleagues in other parts of the company today that their positions have been impacted,” Pitaro added.

Karl Ravech, a veteran ESPNer who called the Phillies’ win over the Los Angeles Dodgers Monday night, is among those expected to be let go, first reported by The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand.

Ravech has been with ESPN since 1993, covering baseball for more than three decades in a variety of roles, including as the voice of Sunday Night Baseball for four seasons. He had been slated to call the Little League World Series for ESPN next month.

NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero is also among the cuts, according to multiple reports. He’s been with the network since 2017 and is one of the network’s top insiders, along with Ian Rapoport and Philly-native Mike Garafolo.

Rapoport signed a multiyear contract with ESPN in April.

ESPN is also parting ways with former Carolina Panthers quarterback and NFL MVP Cam Newton, as first reported by Outkick’s Bobby Burack. Newton has been a frequent guest on First Take with Stephen A. Smith during the NFL season.

Longtime NFL Network analyst Charles Davis, best known for calling NFL games on Fox and CBS, is also being let go, according to The Athletic. This fall he’ll replace Gary Danielson as CBS’s lead college football analyst on Big Ten games alongside Brad Nessler.

Other ESPN staffers let go include veteran SportsCenter anchor David Lloyd, whose been with the network just shy of 30 years, and sports injury analyst Stephania Bell, according to Front Office Sports. Ex-NFL linebacker Bart Scott, who cohosted an ESPN radio show in New York City with one-time 94.1 WIP host Chris Carlin, was also reportedly among the cuts.

ESPN declined to comment.

Layoffs arrived early for Ryan Clark, the former NFL defender turned TV analyst who has been a star at ESPN for the past decade.

As first reported by The Athletic, Clark was taking off the air midway through NFL Live Monday and informed he was being let go after reporters began inquiring about his status with the network.

In an Instagram post Tuesday morning, Clark described the incident as “madness,”

“My peace is with God, and my humility comes from within,” Clark wrote. “I’ll continue to build myself so the world can never strip me of what’s real.”

Clark joined ESPN in 2015 and has been a prominent personality across the network’s NFL programming and daytime shows, including Monday Night Countdown with former Eagles star Jason Kelce.

In 2014, Clark signed a three-year contract extension after going public with his dissatisfaction with the network

ESPN purchased the NFL Network and NFL Media in February in a deal valued between $2.5 billion and $3 billion. As part of the deal, all NFL Network staffers and personalities became ESPN employees, and the league took a 10% stake in the network.

NFL Network isn’t going anywhere, and will still have original programming, including Good Morning Football.

It’s the second round of layoffs at ESPN in recent months. In the spring, about 30 behind-the-scenes staffers were let go as part of companywide layoffs that reportedly impacted around 1,000 employees.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.