Ryan Clark vs. Robert Griffin III controversy explained: Who said what?
Fox Sports analyst Robert Griffin III has blasted ESPN analyst Ryan Clark over comments about his marriage.
Fox Sports analyst Robert Griffin III and ESPN analyst Ryan Clark are embroiled in a controversy, with the former calling out the latter about comments about his marriage. On Monday’s episode of The Pivot podcast, Clark ripped RG3 for his opinions on the altercation between Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese during Saturday’s Indiana Fever-Chicago Sky game. Clark targeted RG3 over his current and past marriages, both with white women.
Who said what?
“When RG3 jumps onto the hate train or the angry train, it now follows what we saw from Keith Olbermann, what we saw from Dave Portnoy, as they poured onto Angel Reese to make her the villain, and Caitlin Clark heroic or hero story,” Clark said. “The one thing we know about RG3 is he’s not having conversations at his home about what Black women have to endure in this country. About what young Black women and athletes like Angel Reese have had to deal with being on the opposite side of Caitlin Clark’s rise and ascension into stardom.”
“If you’re RG3, when is the last time within your household you’ve had a conversation about what [Angel Reese is] dealing with?” Clark added. “You haven’t been able to do that because in both of your marriages, you’ve been married to white women.”
In response, RG3 shared a statement on social media, accusing Clark of crossing the line. “Ryan Clark didn’t like my take on Angel Reese hating Caitlin Clark. That’s fine. Disagreement is part of the game. But instead of debating my point, he personally attacked me and my family. That shows how low of person he is,”RG3 wrote on X.
He continued, “I gave a sports opinion: I said Angel Reese hates Caitlin Clark, based on repeated, visible actions on the court and in press conferences. I backed it up with five separate examples from the game of basketball because that’s what I do. I analyze sports. I stay in the arena. Just because Angel Reese is Black doesn’t mean that her game and actions can not be critiqued. A Black man or woman is not restricted from giving a sports opinion on another Black man or woman just because you don’t like it.”
“We’ve got to be better in this space,” he added. “Debate the game. Don’t play with people’s families. Because if you need to cross that line and attack the person and their family instead of the point just to win an argument, then you already lost.”
RG3 then alleged that Clark said RG3 fails to understand black women’s struggles because he is married to a white woman, saying that the assumption was “wrong and way out of bounds.” “He suggested I don’t value my wife as the woman I love, protect and raise a family with but only value her because of the color of her skin. That’s wrong and way out of bounds,” RG3 said of Clark. “He implied that he, a man who has never sat at our dinner table, values my wife and knows my marriage better than I do. That’s wrong and way out of bounds.”
He added, “There should be no space in Sports Media for personal attacks and wives and children are alway off limits. You attacked me and my family in a public forum on a level that shows how low of a person you are. Disagree with me all you want. Challenge my take. But keep my family and wife out of it. That’s a boundary that should always be respected. Ryan Clark personally attacking me and my family personally over a sports opinion is cowardly, spineless, and weak. Ryan Clark personally attacking me and my family personally over a sports opinion is a bad look for ESPN and for him as a man.”
Clark soon responded to RG3’s statement with his own on X. “Bruh you know what it is with me and you! I saved you the entire season on MNF. I urged people to let you be you. No matter how corny, how bad a teammate you were I had your back. What did you do? Invite someone on your show you know I don’t fool with to ask questions about me, and then hit me weeks later to tell me you’re gonna challenge one of my takes! You’re a phony bro. One of the worst teammates I ever had both on the field and in TV. You gotta do what you gotta do,” he wrote.
“I didn’t attack your wife. I spoke on what you do on social media and Tv. Like I said. I met your wife and she seemed like a lovely lady that was worth more than the color of her skin! You be good bruh,” Clark added.
Clark’s response suggests that there could be more to this beef that we know.
