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| Bart Scott |
Bart Scott was among the ESPN personalities let go in the network’s first round of summer layoffs, learning of the decision in a brief phone call as he prepared for his radio show.
“Hey, man, I was going into my radio show, and they called me, like, ‘Hey, uh, just to let you know, wish we could do it in person,’” Scott said this week on The Joint Venture Show with Craig Carton and Lil Wayne. “Like, no, you don’t, motherf*cker. ‘Oh, I wish I could do it in person!’ Nah. So, it’s like, ‘We’re not gonna renew you.’ My contract is expiring in September. So, I found out that way.”
Ryan Clark drew the most attention after ESPN pulled him off the air mid-broadcast of NFL Live on July 20 to deliver the news. Scott’s exit received far less notice even though the network used a similarly abrupt approach.
Bart Scott says ESPN fired him over the phone as he was walking into his radio show
— Arslan (@0xarslan) August 14, 2026
"I was going in to my radio show and they called me like, 'Hey, just let you know, I wish we can do it in person.' Like, no, you don't"
"So it's like, we're not going to renew you. My contract… pic.twitter.com/qBjBUmdih3
Scott said the lack of personal contact did not sour his overall experience or his outlook. “It’s part of the business,” he explained. “You understand the balance, and I don’t know what they had to do when they had to trim the fat. … Sometimes, losing your job can be some of the biggest blessings because it forces you to try and do something else and, sometimes, step out of your comfort zone.
“Listen, one thing that is constant is change, and I’ve been fired before. I understand the process, and I hold no ill will. … I did enjoy my time there. I enjoyed using the platform, keeping myself relevant. … I’m not gonna hold any ill will toward them. It’s my job to make them regret it.”
Scott entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Baltimore Ravens in 2002 and became a standout linebacker for the Ravens (2002-08) and New York Jets (2009-12). After retiring, he worked as an analyst on CBS Sports’ NFL Today. He joined ESPN in a limited role on The Michael Kay Show on ESPN 98.7 in 2017, became a full-time personality in 2020, and most recently co-hosted Bart & Carlin on ESPN New York while appearing on Get Up! and First Take.