ESPN’s Ryan Clark Was Ready to Fight Stephen A. Smith: That ‘Man’s Gonna Tell Me to Kiss His A**?’

Journalists routinely enter the athlete’s realm when they step on the field or into a locker room, but when a former athlete enters ESPN, that’s Stephen A.’s world.

Joining Barstool Sports’ Bussin’ With the Boys podcast, former NFL safety and current ESPN analyst Ryan Clark recalled one of his early interactions with Stephen A. Smith. And it wasn’t very cordial.

“Stephen A. was talking about how athletes want his job and they don’t have degrees,” Clark said, noting he was a mass communications graduate from LSU. The next time he appeared on First Take, Clark intended to inform Smith that he’s just as capable of being a star at ESPN.

“I can do your job, I do have a degree, and my hairline ain’t pushed back,” Clark remembered firing back on First Take. Unfortunately, Smith was off. The next day, Smith returned to First Take and blasted Clark for his comments, culminating with “as for anything else, Ryan Clark knows what he can kiss.”

“Oh, Stephen A. Smith wants to fight me,” Clark remembered thinking after hearing Smith’s rant. “I’m gonna whip him. Straight up,” Clark told First Take’s producer at the time. “All the other stuff was cool, but the man’s gonna tell me to kiss his A-S-S? That means he wants to fight me.”

The former NFL safety never fought Smith, who is 12 years his elder. According to Clark, Smith eventually apologized for the ‘kiss my ass’ comment and the two have since built a strong working relationship at ESPN.

“Sometimes you gotta let people know that you’re a little thrown off if you are a little thrown off,” Clark explained. “Because it helps you help them, to not do anything that’s gonna get them in a fight with you.”