Ryan Leaf Critiques ESPN Colleagues

Ryan Leaf, a former ESPN college football analyst, has publicly criticized his former colleagues Pat McAfee and Kirk Herbstreit, calling them 'overly sensitive narcissists' during an appearance on OutKick's Hot Mic. The conflict arose after Leaf objected to jokes made about a Washington State-Oregon State matchup, which he felt belittled the schools amid conference realignment changes. Leaf alleges that his criticisms led to his removal from ESPN, as he was informed by a producer that higher-ups had decided to pull him off-air. He emphasized the lack of shared values with McAfee and Herbstreit, suggesting their significant contracts influenced their reactions. While Leaf expressed discontent with how his departure was handled, he acknowledged that they attempted to downplay the fallout later through text conversations. This saga reflects larger tensions within sports media regarding sensitivity to criticism and the treatment of smaller programs.