First Call: Ryan Clark responds to details about his ESPN dismissal; Jason Robertson discusses new contract
Thursday’s “First Call” has some reaction from Ryan Clark in the wake of losing his job at ESPN. Jason Robertson discusses his new contract. An ex-Pittsburgh Penguin is staying in his new city.
And a former Steelers linebacker has a sneaky draft story about Mike Tomlin.
Disputed details
Ryan Clark is commenting on his departure from ESPN.
The former Steelers safety was one of many employees at the network who lost a job this week. Initial reports from The Athletic were that Clark was removed from the air during an episode of “NFL Live” on Monday. The network was reportedly afraid that news of Clark’s dismissal was going to leak during the program, a day before he was supposed to find out.
On Wednesday, though, TMZ posted a story that Clark wasn’t forced off the air when he was told the news. But Clark replied on social media and seemed to take umbrage with the attempt to split hairs.
I wasn’t forced? “I ask, should I be done now?”
The answer was “yes”. https://t.co/dJ0IfpGdHl
— Ryan Clark (@Realrclark25) July 22, 2026
Clark had been with the network for 11 years. He is still working with “The Pivot” podcast and with “Inside the NFL.”
Strategic sabotage
Former Steeler Bud Dupree told an interesting story about his draft process during an appearance on Cam Heyward’s “Not Just Football” podcast.
The club’s 2015 first-round draft choice claims Mike Tomlin talked him out of running a 40-yard dash at his Kentucky pro day. Dupree posted a 4.56-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, raising his stock in the pre-draft process.
Dupree planned to run again in Lexington, thinking he could do better. Apparently, though, Tomlin convinced him against doing so since he and the rest of the Steelers brass were already sold on Dupree.
Furthermore, they didn’t want to see Dupree shoot up draft boards by running even faster.
“I was about to get ready to run my 40 (yard dash). I warmed up, and Coach Tomlin was like, ‘Why’d you run a 40 again?’ I’m like, why wouldn’t I run a 40? Let’s try to run a 4.3. And he (said), ‘Nah, don’t run a 40, you already ran, you ran fast already,’” Dupree said via SteelersDepot.com.
Dupree says he is now convinced Tomlin had an agenda.
“Looking back on it, man, Coach Tomlin stopped me from getting drafted higher so I could go to the Steelers,” Dupree said. “I definitely would’ve ran faster than I ran at the combine, and I would’ve been a higher pick.”
That last part may not be true. Only two other true edge rushers went higher than Dupree in that first round. Dante Fowler was third overall to Jacksonville, and Vic Beasley was eighth overall to Atlanta.
So would a slightly faster 40-time in pro day shoot Dupree from No. 22 to No. 8? Unlikely. Would a slightly faster 40 time have changed any opinions of the 14 teams in between Atlanta and Pittsburgh to go with an edge guy instead of the positions they addressed?
Perhaps. But Dupree was still there at No. 22 when the Steelers picked, and he stayed in Pittsburgh for the next six years before going to Tennessee, Atlanta and now the Los Angeles Chargers. He totaled 39.5 sacks during his time with the Steelers.
Robertson’s response
Jason Robertson spoke with media members on Tuesday about his one-year contract to remain with the Dallas Stars.
The highly coveted restricted free agent managed to avoid arbitration with his team and sign a new deal. It’s for one year and $12 million.
The Seattle Kraken apparently tried to swing a $15 million trade-and-sign deal to get him from the Stars. But Robertson wouldn’t go for it. The Penguins were reportedly quite interested in trading for him as well.
But Robertson said he wasn’t putting much stock in the outside chatter, according to Lia Assimakopoulos of the Dallas Morning News.
Robertson on the chatter: “Not everything on the internet is real. All I think that matters is the opinions of the people around me — obviously the organization, my agency, my friends. Everything else is nothing really.”
— Lia Assimakopoulos (@Lassimak) July 22, 2026
Robertson seemed noncommittal about potentially signing an extension in Dallas when he becomes eligible to do so after Jan. 1.
Robertson was asked if he thinks he will be a Dallas Star for a long time: “I’m just happy to start the season in Dallas right now. I was pretty much planning to. They had my rights. Now I can focus on this season and have a good summer.”
— Lia Assimakopoulos (@Lassimak) July 22, 2026
Robertson put up 96 points and 45 goals last year. The winger turned 27 Wednesday. He now will make the same amount as the Stars’ other highest-paid player, Mikko Rantanen.
Deal for Danton
There’s no doubt that the Penguins got the better part of the Egor Chinakhov trade. He came to Pittsburgh from Columbus and posted 18 goals and 18 assists in 43 games.
All that for Danton Heinen and two draft picks — a second-rounder in 2026 and a third-round pick in 2027.
But the Blue Jackets liked enough of what they got from Heinen to keep him. They announced Wednesday that they inked the 31-year-old winger to a new one-year, two-way contract.
Heinen’s back for more! ⁰⁰We’ve signed F Danton Heinen to a one-year, two-way contract!⁰⁰???? https://t.co/YJr5UTAIBK⁰⁰CBJ x @OHHeartofitAll pic.twitter.com/mYu1TRGVqk
— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) July 22, 2026
Heinen totaled only five goals and five assists in 33 games with the Blue Jackets after joining the club.
PuckPedia.com is reporting Heinen will make $1 million against the cap in the NHL. He had a $2.25 million NHL salary last year. Heinen has had two tours of duty with the Penguins.
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