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Ryan Clark Issues Apology After Disrespecting Beloved NFL Analyst
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- Ryan Clark Issues Apology After Disrespecting Beloved NFL Analyst
Former Pittsburgh Steelers star Ryan Clark has lost a ton of respect from NFL fans this week due to his disrespectful interaction with ESPN analyst Peter Schrager.
During Friday's episode of "Get Up," Clark and Schrager had a disagreement about A.J. Brown and CeeDee Lamb 's performances in Week 1. It didn't take long for this to take an ugly turn.
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"We shouldn't do this on TV," Clark said. "I apologize if people think this is rude — that's the non-player in you."
Obviously, Schrager didn't appreciate that remark from his ESPN colleague. He earned his spot by producing incredible work for NFL Network and FOX Sports.
"Stop. I'm not looking at fantasy football. Ryan, don't belittle me like that," Schrager replied . "I can come and say as three ex-players are saying one thing, and give an alternative perspective."
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Instead of immediately apologizing for his rude behavior, Clark doubled down.
"What I need you to do is to not get mad and let me finish for one," Clark said. "It wasn't about you, it was going to be about me."
Nov 25, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Ryan Clark on the ESPN Monday Night Football Countdown set before the game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
On Friday night, Clark issued a public apology to Schrager. He said he'll work on being a "better teammate" at ESPN.
"Today, I had an interaction with my colleague @PSchrags both on and off the air that I regret," Clark wrote on X . "I have apologized to Peter and taken accountability with ESPN leadership. I value working with Peter and look forward to this season. My focus will remain on professionalism, teamwork, and being a better teammate moving forward."
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Schrager hasn't responded to this social media post from Clark.
NFL world siding with Schrager.
Over the past 24 hours, Schrager has received a ton of love from NFL fans and media members. It's pretty clear they value his opinion.
"You're that dude, @PSchrags . Learned something about the NFL from you every single day. That's the ultimate defining standard of knowledge and expertise for me - do I learn something from you? Yeah? Cool. You're good in my book," Jamie Erdahl of NFL Network said.
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"Who would I rather watch and listen to talk about football? Peter Schrager > Ryan Clark. I don't give a damn if he didn't play in the NFL. He's a better analyst, better storyteller, more entertaining and more plugged in. ESPN is lucky to have Schrager," Chase Senior wrote.
"Schrager is everything right with NFL media. Ryan Clark is everything wrong with NFL media," another person declared.
ESPN signed Schrager in the spring to play a huge role in this year's NFL coverage. He'll continue to make appearances on "Get Up" and "First Take" among other shows.
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If Clark can't respect Schrager, then maybe he needs to take a long look in the mirror. After all, everyone else seems to love the longtime NFL analyst.
This story was originally reported by The Spun on Sep 6, 2025, where it first appeared in the Sports Media section. Add The Spun as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
