Ryan Clark dismisses Robert Griffin III's criticism of Angel Reese because he's married to a white woman

Daily Mail​

20-05-2025

ESPN star Ryan Clark has ignited a war of words with former NFL teammate Robert Griffin III, dismissing his criticism of Angel Reese because he's married to a white woman.
Clark, who won a Super Bowl with the Pittsburgh Steelers and now works with Jason Kelce on ESPN's Monday Night Countdown, said Griffin 'is not having conversations at his home about what black women have to endure in this country.'
He also referenced how Griffin, who is married to Estonian heptathlete Grete Griffin and shares three daughters with her, has 'been married to white women' in both of his marriages.
It came after Griffin offered brutal criticism of Reese after her recent clash with bitter WNBA rival Caitlin Clark on Saturday.
Reese tried to confront Clark after the Indiana Fever star slapped her Chicago Sky rival's arm hard enough to jar the ball loose and knock Reese to the floor during one play.
'After watching Caitlin Clark's flagrant foul on Angel Reese and the aftermath, there is no way Angel Reese can continue the lie that she doesn't dislike Caitlin Clark,' Griffin posted on social media on Sunday morning. 'I know what hatred looks like. Angel Reese HATES Caitlin Clark. Not some basketball rivalry hate either. Hate.'
But, on his podcast on Monday, Clark responded to Griffin's opinion and questioned whether the former Baltimore Ravens and Washington Redskins quarterback was fit to comment on Reese because of his wife.
'When RG3 jumps onto the hate train or the angry train, it now follows what we saw from (former MSNBC star) Keith Olbermann and Dave Portnoy, as they poured onto Angel Reese to make her the villain, and Caitlin Clark heroic,' Clark said.
'The one thing we know about RG3 is he's not having conversations at his home about what black women have to endure in this country. About what young black women and athletes like Angel Reese have had to deal with being on the opposite side of Caitlin Clark's rise and ascension into stardom.
'If you're RG3, when is the last time within your household you've had a conversation about what [Angel Reese is] dealing with? You haven't been able to do that because in both of your marriages you've been married to white women.
'You haven't had opportunities to have those conversations, to educate you on what they're feeling, what black women deal with, what they're seeing when they think of a young Angel Reese, and the whole time that he's mimicking Angel Reese and bobbing his head and moving his neck while he's doing this whole piece, his wife is in back clapping.
'When I worked with RG III, he would make all of these sort of corny jokes about milk and how much he loved it and how important it was and he always points out on social media the color of his wife's skin, as if the color of her skin is what makes her special, as if the color of her skin is what makes her a good wife.
'I've met the lady. I've had a conversation with her. I think she's more than that, but it also leads to what black women deal with a lot from black men, who have chose to date or marry outside of their race.
'They always feel like they have to go the extra mile to prop up the woman that they're married to or the woman that they're with over black women by denigrating black women.
'There's no need to pin those two (Clark and Reese) against each other and paint them based on stereotypical tropes. I think this is what I like RG III to know. That no matter how much he continues to echo the micro aggressions of racists, he'll be no less black than me.'
Before Griffin tied the knot with Grete in 2018, he was married to fellow former Baylor student Rebecca Liddicoat for three years from 2013 to 2016.
Clark's comments sparked fury on social media, with some even questioning whether ESPN should fire him.
It also prompted Griffin to post a furious response on Monday night where he called out Clark for 'personally attacking me and my family' in a lengthy statement on X.
He added: 'There's a line you don't cross in life and Ryan Clark sprinted past it.
'Ryan Clark didn't like my take on Angel Reese hating Caitlin Clark. That's fine. Disagreement is part of the game. But instead of debating my point, he personally attacked me and my family. That shows how low of person he is.
'I gave a sports opinion: I said Angel Reese hates Caitlin Clark, based on repeated, visible actions on the court and in press conferences. I backed it up with five separate examples from the game of basketball because that's what I do. I analyze sports. I stay in the arena.
'Just because Angel Reese is Black doesn't mean that her game and actions can not be critiqued. A Black man or woman is not restricted from giving a sports opinion on another Black man or woman just because you don't like it. Everyone can give their opinion on everyone no matter what color they are.'
After Griffin called out Clark for his response, the ESPN star called Griffin 'a phony' in response
In a defiant response, Clark posted: 'Bruh you know what it is with me and you! I saved you the entire season on MNF. I urged people to let you be you. No matter how corny, how bad a teammate you were I had your back.
'What did you do? Invite someone on your show you know I don't fool with to ask questions about me, and then hit me weeks later to tell me you're gonna challenge one of my takes!
'You're a phony bro. One of the worst teammates I ever had both on the field and in TV. You gotta do what you gotta do. I didn't attack your wife. I spoke on what you do on social media and TV. Like I said. I met your wife and she seemed like a lovely lady that was worth more than the color of her skin! You be good bruh.'
Earlier on Monday, Caitlin Clark condemned alleged racist comments made toward Reese by fans during the Fever's win over the Sky on Saturday.
While it centers around Reese, the alleged racist incident did not have anything to do with Clark's foul on the Sky forward nor the brief spat which followed, per the Indianapolis Star. Instead, Fever fans inside the arena are said to be the target of the investigation.
In the aftermath of the game, the WNBA said in a statement: 'We strongly condemn racism, hate, and discrimination in all forms - they have no place in our league or in society. We are aware of the allegations and are looking into the matter.'
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Clark condemned the incident and said: 'There's no place for that in our game, there's no place for that in society.
'We want every person that comes into our arena, whether player, whether fan, to have a great experience.'
After the game, Reese issued a blunt eight-word verdict on the bust-up, insisting the referees got it right and urging people to 'move on.'
When asked for her thoughts on Clark's foul, she simply said: 'Basketball play, refs got it right, move on.'
During an in-game interview with ESPN, Clark said there was 'nothing malicious' about the foul and called it a basketball play.
'It's just a good take foul,' she said. 'You know, either Angel gets a wide open two points, or we send them to the free-throw line.
'Nothing malicious about it. It's just a good take foul. Every basketball player knows that.'