Tag: Ryan Clark

De’Vondre Campbell gets destroyed on ESPN for quitting on 49ers

ESPN analysts Stephen A. Smith and Ryan Clark questioned if De’Vondre Campbell should ever play football again after he quit on the 49ers.

Though healthy and suited up, San Francisco 49ers linebacker De’Vondre Campbell refused to enter Thursday night’s 12-6 loss against the Los Angeles Rams.

San Francisco tight end George Kittle and 49ers cornerback Charvarius Ward shared their opinions on Campbell’s actions after the loss. Kittle ripped Campbell’s decision and Ward said he expects Campbell to be cut.

Campbell’s refusal to play also quickly morphed into one of the top stories nationally in sports.

On Friday morning, ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith sounded off on the incident and blasted Campbell on his show “First Take.” Smith called Campbell’s NFL playing future into question.

“If it were me, he would have been cut before he left the locker room. He wouldn’t have made it out of the locker room as a San Francisco 49er. I’ll be honest with you. His career is in grave jeopardy and it should be. You don’t want a teammate like that. De’Vondre Campbell should be ashamed of himself. There is no excuse for what he did,” Smith said.

Fellow ESPN analyst Ryan Clark agreed with Smith’s assessment and said as much earlier on in the morning on “Get Up.”

“In my opinion as a brotherhood, he should never play again. Ever again,” Clark said. “Why would you want him on your team?”

Campbell’s refusal to play came with San Francisco in a bind at the position. 49ers linebackers Dre Greenlaw and Dee Winters were sidelined with respective knee and neck injuries.

It also came during a game that essentially killed the 49ers’ postseason hopes. With the loss, San Francisco (6-8) has now lost four of its past five games and fell into the NFC West cellar with just three games remaining in the 2024 regular season.

Campbell started 12 of the 49ers’ first 13 games. The 6-foot-4, 232 pound linebacker played 90% of San Francisco’s defensive snaps with 79 tackles, including three for loss, and a pair of passes defended.

Former Steelers safety blasts Aaron Rodgers: ‘This dude is a fraud’

Ryan Clark ripped into Aaron Rodgers over hypocrisy and fraudulence in fiery response to Rodgers’ rant against ESPN and former players.

It appears former Pittsburgh Steelers safety Ryan Clark didn’t take too kindly to Jets QB Aaron Rodgers‘ latest rant regarding ESPN and the former players who work there. Rodgers took to the Pat McAfee Show to rip into ESPN, and Clark has fired back.

Clark, who revitalized his legendary football career through ESPN as an analyst following his retirement, went scorched earth on Rodgers’ comments and alluded to the hypocrisy of the former Packers QB: “My issue with him is that you’re doing the exact same thing. The reason you’re getting the opportunity to say these asinine things is because someone is paying you—who is exactly the same thing you are now speaking out against.”

Clark wasn’t finished just proving Rodgers to be hypocritical, however, as he continued to tear into the quarterback’s character: “This dude is a fraud. He’s been a fraud. He could throw a football, and that’s where it stops.”

It’s safe to say Clark and Rodgers will not be exchanging Christmas cards in 2024, but the 41-year-old New York Jets QB should consider the bridges he is burning once his football career is over.

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Jayden Daniels, Dan Quinn remember Sean Taylor

Dan Quinn, Jayden Daniels remember Sean Taylor on the 17th anniversary of his passing.

Nov. 27, 2007, is one of the darkest days in the history of the Washington NFL franchise. That’s the day legendary former Redskins safety Sean Taylor died after being shot in his home protecting his family.

While faces and names have changed over the years, the team has always honored Taylor. Recently, the Commanders teamed up with his daughter to create the Sean Taylor Legacy Project.

Regardless of who coaches or plays for the now-Commanders, Taylor’s name is always mentioned around the anniversary of his tragic passing.

On Wednesday, it marked 17 years since Taylor’s tragic death. Washington head coach Dan Quinn remembered Taylor:

“I’m really glad that you brought that up, and I did,” Quinn said about watching Taylor play. “[I] was not aware of 17 years for that. A presence, I think, is one of the first things that you think about even from entering into, like what a defender can be and look like and  the impact that a ball player can make on a team, and the energy that they can provide. And so, that’s the first thing, kind of gives me chills just on my arms right now thinking about what presence can mean to a team and to a group. And Sean had that in abundance.”

When Taylor died, Quinn was in his first year as the New York Jets defensive line coach.

Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels was also asked about his memories of Taylor.

‘I mean, I watched Sean Taylor, I used to watch his highlights, so I know, one of my close friends, Jordan Clark, his dad, obviously [Former Washington S] Ryan Clark, they played together here,” Daniels said.

“So, he had a huge impact on Jordan, but just overall in the football world, just who he was and as a human being and the impact that he made on the field, obviously his electrified playing, hits, and making plays on the ball. So, I mean, it’s awesome just to have his remembrance here and try to keep that going.”

Ryan Clark also remembered Taylor this week.

The Commanders retired Taylor’s No. 21 jersey two years ago and remembered him on social media Wednesday.

ESPN broadcaster, LSU alum Ryan Clark has high praise for new Michigan commit Bryce Underwood

The sky truly is the limit. #GoBlue

You know ESPN analyst Ryan Clark, once a safety at LSU, didn’t want to see Bryce Underwood back off his commitment to the Tigers in favor of the Michigan Wolverines. Even now that Underwood has changed his mind about Clark’s alma mater, Clark is singing the praises of the five-star quarterback and No. 1 player in the country.

Michigan football landing Underwood was a seismic shift — not just for the talent on the Wolverines’ roster, but also in college football. Because Underwood, as Clark sees it, is a generational talent that might be better than all of the big quarterback names that have graced the college football stage over the past decade or so.

“So what’s crazy is I came out of 7-on-7 retirement for Bryce Underwood,” Clark said. “I coached the team this summer because he was going to be the quarterback. I’ve seen Trevor Lawrence, Justin Fields, CJ Stroud, Bryce Young — you name it — Jayden Daniels. At his age, he’s better than every single one of them. The way he throws the football, the way he moves, the way he leads, the sort of kid he is.

“I was excited about what LSU could be in the future because of him. Partly, this is on Brian Kelly and what’s happened with LSU throughout this season. And I also think another big piece of it is, if you’re Michigan and you don’t have a quarterback, and that offense looking the way that it is, you can’t let let out of that state.”

If Underwood is that good, he’ll earn a starting job sooner than later. Lawrence managed to start for Clemson after Kelly Bryant got the first four games of the season. Fields started in Year 2 after transferring from Georgia to Ohio State. Stroud started in Year 2. So it will be interesting to see how quickly Underwood picks up Michigan’s offense and is comfortable enough to take the helm and show what he has.

Underwood is fully expected to sign on Dec. 4, and he plans to enroll early. That would make him able to participate in bowl practices should the Wolverines become eligible.

Former Steelers safety defends Mike Tomlin in Week 12 blame game

Ryan Clark defends Mike Tomlin’s fourth-quarter decision against the Browns, while the Steelers face scrutiny over Week 12’s struggles.

Once a Steeler, always a Steeler. While appearing on ESPN’s First Take, former Steelers safety-turned-analyst Ryan Clark proved he will forever bleed Black and Gold.

Host Molly Qerim asked Clark if Head Coach Mike Tomlin was to blame for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Week 12 loss to the Cleveland Browns. Clark, demonstrating immense loyalty to his former coach, defended Tomlin’s most questionable call—the acceptance of the illegal touching by an offensive lineman penalty in the fourth quarter—stating it was the correct decision.

Clark added that making the field goal attempt tougher with the acceptance of the penalty could have paid dividends for the Steelers if the defense had stopped the Browns.

The conversation shifted to discuss who was truly to blame, with the general consensus landing on Arthur Smith’s poor playcalling in Week 12. Pittsburgh will need to reevaluate its offensive approach moving forward, as the Cincinnati Bengals await the Steelers in Week 13 on December 1 at 1:00 PM EST.

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Legendary Steelers safety credits his NFL career to Danny Smith

Ex-Steelers safety Ryan Clark credited his former special teams coach Danny Smith with giving him his first NFL start.

When fans think of a Steelers legend who consistently poured his heart and soul out on the field for the team, they look no further than former safety Ryan Clark.

Clark is regarded as one of the many great safeties to come through the Steel City, and none of it would have been possible without one coach in particular. The former safety turned ESPN analyst credited Danny Smith, who is now the Steelers special teams coach, with giving him his first shot in the NFL with the Washington Redskins.

Smith made headlines last week on “Sunday Night Football” when he displayed his passion for his unit’s elite set of plays, one of which was incorrectly called back.

Clark’s admiration for Smith speaks volumes about the type of environment that Pittsburgh has fostered for generations.

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Ryan Clark praises Broncos CB Riley Moss in entertaining video

“This is a minority at the position!” Clark said of Riley Moss. “He became the first white cornerback to have an interception in 22 years!”

During a recent episode of Inside the NFL on the CW, former NFL safety Ryan Clark named Denver Broncos cornerback Riley Moss his “Football Guy” of the week.

Clark praised Moss for his play and mentioned what has been a trending topic in Broncos Country: Moss is a rare white cornerback.

“I’m going to read to you some of his stats: 19-for-31 when targeted, only 179 yards allowed on the entire season,” Clark said. “He has three pass defensed. He also had an interception last week against Gardner Minshew. He is one of 15 cornerbacks that have been targeted 30-plus times because he plays opposite Pat Surtain.

“But, wait, guys! I buried the lede! He’s white! He is a white [cornerback]! This is a minority at the position! Do you know the struggles this man had to go through? … He trusted the dream and this week when picking off Gardner Minshew, he became the first white cornerback to have an interception in 22 years! Since my teammate in 2022 Jason Sehorn.”

Clark then joked to Bill Belichick that the former coach was “like the Rosa Parks for [Moss].”

Clark played in the NFL from 2002-2014, winning Super Bowl XLIII with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2009. Moss was picked by Denver in the third round of last year’s NFL draft out of Iowa. A first-year starter, Moss has had an excellent start to the 2024 season.

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Justin Fields has ended the QB controversy: Former Pro Bowl Steelers’ safety agrees

Justin Fields made a strong case to be the Steelers’ starting quarterback after a standout performance in Week 3, earning support from former Steeler Ryan Clark.

The battle for the starting quarterback position began to take shape when the Pittsburgh Steelers traded with the Bears to acquire Justin Fields in the 2024 offseason. The Steelers, having signed quarterback Russell Wilson just a day prior, seemed to have a quarterback competition on their hands.

However, it was clear that Wilson was favored over the younger, less experienced Fields, as the veteran was getting first-team reps while Fields worked with second-team unit. All of this changed when a re-aggravated calf injury prevented Wilson from starting in the regular season.

Through the first two weeks of football, Fields looked uninspired and hesitant. However, his play took a significant leap in Week 3 against an elite defense, throwing for 245 yards and one touchdown, and recording a rushing touchdown as well.

Former Steelers legend, Super Bowl champion, and Pro Bowl safety Ryan Clark saw what we all saw and stated what most of us want: Mike Tomlin to name Justin Fields as the starter moving forward.

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Ryan Clark to Mike Tomlin: ‘Let’s not play this game anymore’ with QB situation

ESPN analyst and former Steelers safety Ryan Clark posted a tweet asking Mike Tomlin to name Justin Fields the starter over Russell Wilson.

Interception aside — his first of the season — Justin Fields had the most complete outing of his Pittsburgh Steelers career in Week 3. And this with very little help from the ground game.

Fields has been far from electric, no thanks to the Steelers’ conservative game plan, but he’s improved every week and appears light-years ahead of where he was with the Chicago Bears. Fields He’s done nothing that should point to Mike Tomlin going to Russell Wilson once he’s healthy enough (if he ever is).

ESPN analyst and “Pivot” podcast host Ryan Clark tweeted yesterday that Tomlin needs to stop playing games with the quarterback position.

Clark, a former Steelers safety, encouraged Tomlin to name Fields the starter after the win on Sunday, but that never came — not a surprise given how close to the vest Tomlin operates.

“Let’s not play this game anymore,” Clark tweeted. “Love Russ, but this isn’t about him. The young man has shown he is capable. What a difference a situation makes.”

https://twitter.com/Realrclark25/status/1837936912310718737

It’s tough to predict whether Tomlin will stop playing games with how he addresses the quarterback situation. It’ll be something to watch for when he takes to the podium for his weekly press conference on Tuesday.

While Fields is still developing, he’s shown real promise to be the face of the Steelers franchise for the remainder of his career — exactly what general manager Omar Khan and company were hoping for when they traded for him.

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Ex-Giant believes rookie Dru Phillips is going to be a ‘stud’

Former New York Giants DB Ryan Clark believes rookie cornerback Dru Phillips is going to be a “stud” with a long career.

The New York Giants have had few bright spots over the first two weeks of the regular season, but one is rookie cornerback Dru Phillips. General manager Joe Schoen took Phillips in the third round of the 2024 NFL draft.

The Giants were in desperate need of a playmaker in their secondary following the departure of Xavier McKinney, who left via free agency this past offseason.

Phillips was all over the field against both the Minnesota Vikings and Washington Commanders, flashing as an impact player for Big Blue.

Because of his play, Phillips has caught the eye of a former Giants defensive back Ryan Clark.

https://twitter.com/Realrclark25/status/1835402659035050169

Clark, of course, began his career with the Giants in 2002 after going undrafted. He ended up having a lengthy career with the Washington franchise and Pittsburgh Steelers after his time with the Giants

Phillips has stood out not just because of his speed and physicality, but also because of his open-field tackling. If the Giants’ front seven continue to disappoint the way they have in the first two games of the season, the team will need their secondary to step up in order to be competitive moving forward.

In Week 1, Phillips forced a fumble on his very first NFL play and followed that up with an extremely impressive performance against the Commanders in which he recorded 12 tackles and a red zone sack.

With the Giants’ season quickly getting away from them, there will be an increased focus on Schoen’s draft picks and their development. He’ll need players like Phillips to remain hot so that his seat stays cool.

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