Ryan Clark Wasn’t Compelled From Air Throughout Business Break After ESPN Layoff

Ryan Clark was let go by ESPN yesterday in the middle of a live show … and TMZ has learned how it all went down.

A source with direct knowledge tells TMZ … Ryan was going to be notified on Tuesday that he was part of a mass layoff, but on Monday … the network was made aware that a report was about to drop about the former NFL player being laid off. The report was going to be published while Ryan was filming “NFL Live” and a call had to be made … how should he find out?

We’re told ESPN honchos decided to get ahead of the news and tell Ryan during a commercial break, rather than him see an alert on his phone.

Ryan did not come back on the air after being informed he was being let go … obviously, the news rattled him, and we’re told both Ryan and ESPN agreed it was better not to return.

It’s not like Ryan was then escorted off set … Ryan was appearing on the show via Zoom … and was not in the studio.

Our source also threw cold water on speculation that Ryan’s “NFL Live” colleagues were told what was about to happen … folks believed that to be the case because the talent was nodding on camera … but we’re told all the nodding was just Ryan’s colleagues agreeing with the points he was making during what turned out to be his last segment.