The World Wide Leader laid off dozens of employees this week, including Ryan Clark, Cam Newton, Tom Pelissero and Karl Ravech.Others were let go as well, but those are some of the big names circulating the internet as of today.This isn't the first round of layoffs at ESPN — or for any company.
Frankly, this is at least the third or fourth round of layoffs at ESPN since I started working at OutKick four years ago.It's become a yearly story at this point.EXCLUSIVE: ESPN TO PART WAYS WITH CAM NEWTON AS PART OF TALENT LAYOFFS THAT ALSO INCLUDED RYAN CLARKAnyway, something else that's become a yearly topic is why ESPN is letting folks go, with several people placing the blame on Pat McAfee.
That's right.Pat McAfee!Pat McAfee appears on the College GameDay show before a game between the Tennessee Volunteers and the Georgia Bulldogs at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., on Sept.
13, 2025.(ISI Photos via Getty Images)He earns roughly $30 million a year, and is reportedly in negotiations with ESPN to double that moving forward.
Obviously, those numbers are going to raise some eyebrows when these layoffs happen.NFL Hall of Famer JJ Watt joined the "progrum" on Tuesday, and ...didn't shy away from the elephant in the room:"Slow, slow news day over there on the ESPN airwaves, huh?" Watt said to begin the interview.
"I mean, besides the fact that you’re getting $100 million… Did they keep anybody? Or is everybody fired to pay you? I’m trying to figure that out."Goodness gracious.Just a vicious way to start an interview.
Brutal stuff.Look, it was obviously in jest, and McAfee responded by laughing it off.He's not stupid.
He's not immune to the narrative on social media right now."We do not appreciate that," he said."That is the narrative, and I’m certainly taking it on the shins.
The boys and I are very proud of the work that we have done.Thanks."American sports analyst Pat McAfee looks on during the 2026 Home Run Derby at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, ...