Former NFL players Ryan Clark and Robert Griffin III have been involved in a pretty heated back-and-forth. The disagreement stems from comments each made concerning the relationship dynamic or lack thereof between WNBA stars Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. Following last week’s dustup between the two rivals in the Indiana Fever’s season opening (93-58) win over the Chicago Sky, Griffin III took to X to comment on the dynamic between the two WNBA stars.
“Angel Reese hates Caitlin Clark,” before adding that “Some people get uncomfortable when you say Angel Reese hates or is jealous of Caitlin Clark because of the complex racial history of America and the historical stereotypes of the angry or jealous Black woman. I understand that.”
That comment drew the ire of Clark, the former hard-hitting safety who played 13 NFL seasons.
Clark Fires Back Then Admits He Was Wrong
During an episode of “The Pivot” podcast, Clark said, “RGIII plays into the narrative that Reese is the villain of Clark’s origin story. … Add him to the list of Black men who’ve adopted the corny trend of denigrating Black women to affirm their choices.”
Clark continued, and in the aftermath Griffin responded by telling Clark to leave his wife, who’s Caucasian (Estonian), and children out of the matter.
During Friday’s episode of “The Pivot” podcast, Clark apologized for letting his emotions get the best of him and including Griffin’s wife, which he added to with a post on X:
If I had to do address @RGIII again I wouldn’t include his wife. She didn’t need to be made an example of in order to make my point. I could have easily pointed to the positive impact a connection with Black women had on the way you see, understand, & treat them.
The optics of his video & personal history with RGIII played a part in how I addressed him. I didn’t insult or attack her, but no matter the intent, & handling the impact was different.
Let her & her family be. If you disagree with his takes, or even side with me on this one there’s no need to involve them. I involved her myself, & that’s on me.
Clark And Griffin Have Never Been Friends
The feud between Clark and Griffin not only became public and went viral but it also cast a light on how non-existent their relationship was during Griffin’s time at the network. Clark, who was also Griffin’s teammate in 2014 with the Washington Redskins, saw firsthand how things unfolded as pertains to Griffin’s fall from glory in the nation’s capital. That played a role in how he chose to not deal with Griffin often outside of their time together covering “Monday Night Football.”
Clark even called Griffin “corny” for how he carried himself, despite, as he tells it, still having his back on television and on the field.
