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ESPN's Ryan Clark tearfully talks about his son being called racial slur
Three Arizona State football players say racial slurs were directed at them this week at a fast food restaurant. Ivan Pierre Aguirre-USA TODAY Sports

ESPN's Ryan Clark tearfully talks about his son being called racial slur

ESPN analyst Ryan Clark, a former NFL safety, spoke honestly and emotionally about his son and Arizona State teammates being called the N-word at a Whataburger restaurant earlier this week.

"I'm playing out a scenario of if this woman would've had a weapon and she could easily say that these 3 young black men were threatening her ... I believe that if that woman pulls a gun on those young men and that woman pulls the trigger, I believe that she's never punished," Clark said on "Get Up" on ESPN.

"I believe that justice is never served. And, even if justice is served, it's not enough to bring my son back."

Jordan, Clark's son, revealed that a customer at a Whataburger fast food restaurant near the Tempe, Ariz., campus used the racial slur toward him and two of his teammates. Rather than ask that customer to leave, the manager threatened to call the cops on the players, according to their account. 

Ryan Clark says he knows this is all too common of an experience for black people in America.

"This isn't just a fear for me every day, this has been a fear for black people forever," Clark said.

Clark said that as a father, he felt fear for his son's life and he is thankful that his son is still alive, knowing that many black men and women have been killed in similar situations.

"If something would have happened to him, it would have broke me," Clark says. "So for me, I have to do a better job of educating him, and I have to protect him."

While Clark acknowledges that America has made progress in terms of battling racial inequality, he also says that incidents like this show that we still have a long way to go in the battle against racism.

"I know it's getting better, but it's not better yet, better for everybody."

Jordan Clark is a redshirt freshman defensive back for Arizona State. Ryan Clark played 13 seasons in the NFL.

Blake Harper

Blake Harper is a writer based in New York. He's originally from San Diego and is one of the few Chargers fans left. He doesn't believe in ties and loves elaborate celebrations. Follow him on X @beezyharps 

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