Stephen A Smith has said he directly confronted ESPN executives after the network fired his broadcast colleague Ryan Clark, declaring "I am not happy" about how the dismissal was handled. The firing, first reported by OutKick, reportedly took place while Clark was actively co-hosting "NFL Live" on live television, prompting Smith to voice his anger publicly on his own YouTube show soon afterwards.

Clark, a Super Bowl-winning former NFL player turned ESPN analyst, was let go as part of a wider round of talent layoffs at the network, which also saw former quarterback Cam Newton part ways with ESPN. Smith, one of ESPN's most prominent and outspoken personalities, used his platform to criticise how the network treated his colleague, framing it as an unacceptable way to end someone's on-air tenure.