Ryan Clark’s exit from ESPN was already messy enough, and now former Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. is reported to replace him. Two-time Super Bowl champion Asante Samuel didn’t hold back about what his arrival really signals.

“Steve Smith has been identified as the talent to replace Ryan Clark,” Asante Samuel said on Say What Needs To Be Said. “He’s a future Hall of Famer, in my opinion. His numbers prove it. And he’s a dog. Steve Smith is here to replace Ryan Clark on Get Up, NFL Live, and other roles designated for Ryan Clark. Are you surprised? I’m not surprised. They declared war against Ryan Clark, if you can’t tell.

Steve Smith Sr. might be walking into a much bigger spotlight at ESPN. Front Office Sports reported that the former Panthers receiver is being lined up for a “recurring role” across the network’s NFL coverage. Smith could show up on Get Up, First Take, NFL Live (yes, the same chair Clark used to sit in), and even a new 2 p.m. ET show fronted by Peter Schrager set to follow right after The Pat McAfee Show.

Smith is now part of ESPN after it acquired NFL Network. Ironically enough, the merger is also what led to the layoffs of Clark, Karl Ravech, Cam Newton, and others, according to an internal ESPN memo from company president Jimmy Pitaro. Clark was informed of his dismissal while he was shooting an NFL Live episode.

Clark spent more than a decade with the network, becoming one of its more familiar faces. He’d also earned himself a $2 million-per-year contract, which put him in an elite club of ESPN employees. However, he is now set to be replaced by a figure who has only called preseason games so far.

Smith landed himself in trouble in 2023, calling Jerry Jeudy an average player. The star wide receiver then cursed at him when they met at a Broncos vs Chiefs game, prompting Smith to then rant negatively about Jeudy. Smith eventually had to apologize to the wide receiver, something that even Clark had to do a few times in his career.

Why ESPN really cut him remains a mystery, but fans believe it was because Clark was too out there with his takes. The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand reported that executives had “soured” on Clark.

One flashpoint came last September, when Clark pointed out the “non-player in Peter Schrager during a heated discussion about CeeDee Lamb and A.J. Brown. Schrager felt it landed like a low blow, and Clark later apologized on X.

Today, Steve Smith Sr. is expected to replace Clark alongside Schrager, creating an interesting overlap. Clark, however, has been vocal about his struggles at ESPN.

“I’d probably work harder to like be who they wanted me to be, or like build relationships with like bosses or executives, you know, because it’s just a relationship game,” he said tearfully on The Pivot podcast. “I just see these people on TV who like aren’t better than me, but I know I’ve never been at the tables they’ve been accepted at. So yeah, you know, there’s some things I think I would do differently because I feel like I let them win.”

We will have to wait and watch for what Steve Smith plans for this reported stint at ESPN, and how he takes over after Ryan Clark.