Ryan Clark apologizes to Tua Tagovailoa after comparing Dolphins QBs’ deficit to that of a stripper
- Ryan Clark told ESPN that Tagovailoa hasn’t been to the gym this offseason
- He also compared the Dolphins quarterback’s butt to that of a stripper
- offers the latest international sports news
NFL analyst and former ESPN player Ryan Clark apologized to Tua Tagovailoa in a video posted to X on Thursday.
Clark caused controversy when he recently recapitulated ESPN’s NFL Live of Tagovailoa’s performance against Houston in Saturday’s 28-3 win in the penultimate preseason game.
During the segment, Clark poked fun at the former Alabama quarterback, hinting that he hadn’t exercised enough this offseason and his butt resembled that of a stripper.
“If I have offended you Tua, if I have hurt you, if I have not respected you, if anyone who supports and loves you has any feelings for what I said, then I sincerely apologize.” Clark said on X
“I had two priorities when I started this job,” Clark said of his move to ESPN after a 13-year NFL career.
When I decided to do television I had two main priorities.
1. Respect all NFL players, coaches, officers and employees.
2. Earn and keep the respect of those very people.
Those priorities are important to me, and if I fall short of that goal, I must hold myself accountable.… pic.twitter.com/YgZfcNPN8G
— Ryan Clark (@Realrclark25) August 24, 2023
This level of hate from Ryan Clark is unbelievable…
Tua does nothing but keep his head down and work his cock ENTIRE off-season to get his body in order.
Like wagons @espn For the constant hatred, you don’t even hide it anymore pic.twitter.com/w5I6OwZJH4
— JoeRobbie (@JoeRobbie_) August 22, 2023
ESPN NFL analyst Ryan Clark apologized for his comments on social media on Thursday
The former Pittsburgh Steeler and Washington Redskin played Tagovailoa on ESPN’s NFL Live
‘NO. 1 – Respect the players, managers and coaches who keep this game going. #2 – it was about earning the respect of the same people, which is more important; keep. If the opposite is the case, I’ll have to check it myself.’
Clark supplemented his verbal apology in writing along with the video on Elon Musk’s platform.
“I have a responsibility to these players to express my opinions about them wisely,” he wrote.
“When I joked about Tua Tagovailoa, I didn’t live up to that responsibility. It was never my intention to question Tua’s work ethic or dedication to the game, but I’m also aware enough to know that intent doesn’t always match impact. The way something is presented is not always how it is received by everyone.
“I do my best to be honest when I’m doing my job and to be honest when I fall short. I didn’t make it on Monday and for that I sincerely apologize.”
On Wednesday, Tagovailoa responded to Clark’s dissidents at his Dolphins press conference, revealing that he found the attitude “strange” and was all Will Smith against Clark.
“I would appreciate it if you would keep my name out of your mouth,” Tagovailoa said. “I would say so.
“It’s a little weird when other people talk about other people when they’re not that person.” It’s just a little weird. My background is that I come from a Samoan family.
Dolphins QB Tagovailoa didn’t back down as he clapped back at Ryan Clark on Wednesday
“Respect is everything, but there comes a point where you’re like, ‘Hey, this isn’t easy, mate.’ I think we’re pretty stubborn people, and when we need to be happy, we can too become combative. I’m just saying.
Tagovailoa has been working to build muscle this off-season to better protect himself after suffering two concussions in the 2022 season that put his future as a footballer in doubt.
“We’ve all worked hard over the off-season, and I’m not someone who talks about myself all the time, but it takes a lot.” Do you think I wanted to build all that muscle? No. In a way, I wanted to be a little lighter. I don’t know.
“There’s a mix of things that people don’t understand, that they don’t know about, that’s being talked about and that’s going on behind the scenes.”