ESPN analyst Ryan Clark fired a shot via Twitter on Tuesday night at NFL Network host Kyle Brandt.
Brandt, like many who cover the NFL, criticized the Indianapolis Colts for making Jeff Saturday their interim head coach despite his lack of coaching experience.
Brandt was incredulous over the hire and took a mocking and sarcastic tone when discussing the move on air Tuesday. Brandt concluded by questioning whether Saturday’s former colleagues at ESPN would give the criticism that Brandt felt the hiring called for.
“It’s an interesting media thing too because this is an ESPN employee, and I’d be fascinated to hear if anybody at ESPN has something critical to say about Jeff Saturday in this case,” said Brandt. “Or is it just, ‘oh, we’re happy for Jeff.'”
Clark is one of Saturday’s ESPN colleagues and gave a strong defense of Saturday’s character on air. He also sent a tweet to Brandt telling him to mind his own business and not worry about how ESPN is covering the situation.
“Say @KyleBrandt stick to talking about the people that cover football at your network. We are good over here. Be well,” Clark wrote on Twitter.
Clark recognized he wasn’t taking the high road with his response.
“It is about doing our job as Jeff would. We all have to utmost respect for Jeff and who he is as a man & football mind. We love our guy, and when you open up articles to see folk at other spots running their mouths sometimes I don’t have enough hops for the high road,” he said in another tweet.
Clark knows that he is not providing as sharp of criticism on the situation as he would if he didn’t have a personal relationship with the subject. That’s why he’s so sensitive to Brandt pointing that out.
As far as the Colts’ hiring of Saturday, there’s only one explanation for it.
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