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Ryan Clark chooses unique outfit for Eagles vs Falcons on Monday Night Football

Originally posted on 5 GOATs | By Brian Jones | Last updated Sep 16, 2024 9:07 PM ET

Ryan Clark got a lot of attention for the outfit he wore during ESPN’s Monday Night Football matchup between the Atlanta Falcons and Philadelphia Eagles. The former Pittsburgh Steelers star was seen wearing a uniform coat which is similar to what one would wear in the military. One person said on social media that Clark’s suit is similar to a US Space Force uniform. Another person compared it to what Janet Jackson wore during her “Rhythm Nation” video. Then others said that Clark was getting ready to battle in the Civil War.

Clark has made a name for himself as an ESPN personality. He joined the network in February 2015, the same day he announced his retirement from the NFL. Over the last nine years, Clark has appeared on NFL Live, First Take, Get Up and SportsCenter. In May 2023, Clark won his first Sports Emmy for Outstanding Personality/Studio Analyst. Earlier this year, Clark agreed to a contract extension with ESPN.

Need a 30 for 30 on Ryan's tailor pic.twitter.com/SJaSIYwGXe
— CJ Fogler account may or may not be notable (@cjzero) September 16, 2024

In December, Clark spoke to GQ about standing out on TV as a former athlete. “The first year, I just wanted to let people know that I wasn’t a dummy. I wasn’t a household name, I didn’t play quarterback—and honestly, being African-American, I knew people probably thought I was stupid,” Clark said.

Ryan Clark reveals his favorite sports media personalities

“I’m from New Orleans; I talk a certain way. They were sending me to dialect coaches, and I was doing it and watching footage of people on TV, but eventually, I realized there’s no way I was going out-Hasselbeck a Hasselbeck. How am I going to out-Riddick a Louis Riddick? But they also can’t out-Ryan Clark me.”

Clark also revealed which analyst he was a fan of before getting into the business. “To be honest, I was a big Tom Jackson fan. Everybody watched NFL Primetime and NFL Countdown, and the dude was always so poised. It felt like he never said anything wrong” Clark revealed. “I was also a huge Stuart Scott fan. His ability to run the entire show, entertain, analyze, provide opinion but also humanize is, to this day, second to none. As I started to understand analysis, that’s why I wanted to host. I haven’t gotten anywhere near that yet, or being completely comfortable being me, because that’s what I loved about Stu: he was comfortable being him.”

This article first appeared on 5 GOATs and was syndicated with permission.

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