Following the Baltimore Ravens’ heartbreaking 27-25 AFC divisional round playoff loss to the Buffalo Bills, ESPN NFL analyst Ryan Clark had a lot to say. Clark, who’s a known Lamar Jackson apologist at times, was quick to point out how well Jackson played and overcame some early mistakes in the game.
Clark, who’s also one-third of “The Pivot” podcast with former NFL players Channing Crowder and Fred Taylor, even took to X to say this.
“You fought 8! Gave your team the chance,” Clark, who won a Super Bowl during his time with the Pittsburgh Steelers, wrote to the two-time league MVP.
“Had adversity in the first half & kept pushing. Did everything you had to in the 2nd half to earn extra minutes. That’s the way it goes when it’s good on good. This ain’t on you, you showed up in the most important moments @Lj_era8!”
Marcellus Wiley Says Clark Is Race-Baiting
Sounds pretty cut and dried, but don’t tell that to former NFL player and FS1 NFL analyst Marcellus Wiley, who came for Clark following his comments.
Wiley, who’s been known to ruffle a few feathers in his career, made sure to fire back at Clark during Monday’s episode of his “Never Shut Up” podcast and YouTube show. Wiley mentioned how Clark’s comments about Jackson in a loss with good numbers were totally different than what he said about Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen following a division-round loss to the reigning two-time defending champion Kansas City Chiefs.
Ryan Clark Accused Of Racial Double Standard Judging Allen and Jackson
“Do you all see the difference in tone and intention of RC after a Lamar Jackson loss with good numbers, versus a Josh Allen when he loses with good numbers?” Wiley asked. “This is to point out the hypocrisy, the race-baiting of Ryan Clark.”
Clark’s comments about Jackson are giving him credit for playing through adversity and still giving his team a chance to win. In essence it’s the same thing Allen did in last year’s loss to the Chiefs. Both put their respective teams in position to win, but the Ravens dropped a game-tying two-point conversion and the Bills missed a game-tying field goal.
Clark Gives Allen His Due
In the aftermath of that loss and plenty of other times Clark has criticized Allen’s willingness to put aside his personal agenda (star padding) and become focused solely on winning. That’s what Clark did via X after the last week’s win over the Ravens.
“Josh Allen has evolved, & is singularly focused on winning. His play versus the Ravens is the perfect example of that. He made the right decisions, didn’t force the football, & used his legs in critical football moments. He let the Ravens & Lamar beat themselves. He played like a player who knows all he has to prove in the playoffs is that he can win every game they play.
On Sunday he gets a chance to have his name included in a Patrick Mahomes’ conversation he has never been in… “AFC champion”. It’ll take all the evolution he showed against the Ravens, & then some!”
Wiley Wants Clark To Be Consistent
In response to Clark commending Allen, Wiley told him to pick a side and stop flip-flopping. This vitriol and venom being spewed by both definitely stems from some past incident, and calling each other out using the race card seems to be the way to bait viewers into this unnecessary drama.