The sports media landscape took another hit this week as ESPN slashed several high-profile names, including veteran NFL insider Tom Pelissero. But while the news stung, Pelissero’s response has become the talk of the industry—and for all the right reasons.
Pelissero, who joined NFL Network in 2017 and quickly rose to become one of the most trusted voices in football, was among those let go Tuesday in a sweeping round of cuts. Despite the sudden exit, he took to social media Wednesday morning with a message that was pure class.
“Thanks to all of you who watched me the past nine years on NFL Network,” Pelissero wrote on X. “Thanks to all of my colleagues who made the job fun and pushed me on a daily basis. Thanks to my family, who constantly made sacrifices to support me in a life-consuming job. I’m so grateful. See you soon.”
The post, short but heartfelt, quickly drew praise from fans and fellow reporters. It also highlighted a contrast with Ryan Clark’s classy response after his own ESPN layoff, which similarly won over supporters. Both insiders have shown that grace under pressure still has a place in the cutthroat world of sports media.
Pelissero’s departure was part of a larger shakeup. According to The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand, ESPN also parted ways with longtime MLB broadcaster Karl Ravech, former NFL star Cam Newton, and “SportsCenter” anchor David Lloyd. But perhaps the most jarring exit was that of Ryan Clark, who reportedly learned he was being let go live on air during Monday’s episode of “NFL Live.”
Marchand reported that ESPN chose to inform Clark during the show after media inquiries threatened to leak the news. “Since after the Super Bowl in February, sources had told The Athletic that Clark’s job could be in jeopardy,” Marchand wrote. “ESPN’s plan was to do that on Tuesday morning, but after receiving calls on the matter chose to inform him during his show as they did not want him to read it online before being told in person.”
The decision to cut Pelissero also raised eyebrows given his reputation. Marchand noted, “On the NFL Network side, Pelissero has been a staple on the platform. With the combination of ESPN’s Adam Schefter and NFLN’s Ian Rapoport, ESPN moved on from the plugged-in and well-compensated Pelissero.”
The layoffs have sparked broader conversations about job security at the network. Stephen A. Smith sounded the alarm after ESPN’s latest layoffs, warning that “none of us are safe.” Meanwhile, ESPN President Jimmy Pitaro issued a statement acknowledging the cuts but emphasizing the network’s commitment to evolving its talent roster.
For Pelissero, the future remains bright. His track record as a breaking-news insider and his ability to connect with fans make him a prime candidate for other networks or platforms. As he put it himself: “See you soon.”
In a week of tough goodbyes, that one sentence has given fans plenty of hope.
