Former Steelers Safety Ryan Clark Gets Trashed By Tiki Barber 'Shut The H*** Up'

Former Pittsburgh Steelers safety, Ryan Clark recently found himself embroiled in some gridiron drama, courtesy of a surprising move by former New York Giants running back, Saquon Barkley, who inked a new deal with the Philadelphia Eagles. The signing stirred up a storm, particularly when Barkley's departure prompted a harsh reaction from former Giants running back, Tiki Barber. Expressing his discontent, Barber publicly declared Barkley "dead to him" for his decision to leave.

Clark, not one to shy away from voicing his opinions, stepped into the fray, sharing his disappointment at the unfolding situation. He noted that on a day meant for Barkley to bask in his new opportunity, Barber's comments necessitated a response. In a subtle, yet pointed jab at Barber, Clark hinted that the former running back might not have had the unwavering support of his former locker room, suggesting that some things, indeed, never change. 

Barber, stung by Clark's remarks, took to the airwaves of the WFAN Sports Radio show to address the former defensive back's biting commentary on Thursday.

“Wow, Ryan Clark. You are making blank up cause you don’t know me like that dude. What is he talking about? Now that he’s big at ESPN, he thinks he can just take shots and his word is gospel. He’s making a story that fits his agenda. He doesn’t know me well enough to talk about me.”

Barber expressed deep dismay at Clark's insinuation with the "some things never change" remark, as well as Clark's suggestion that Barber wasn't universally embraced in the locker room.

“So shut the h*** up, Ryan Clark. Please, you sound like a fool. If you think it’s cool and trendy to make me the bad guy 'cause it makes you cooler and trendier, than by all means. Shoot away Ryan.”

In his first two seasons in the NFL, Clark and Barber were actually teammates. However, their tenure together didn't foster a strong rapport. Given their limited interaction, Barber implied that Clark lacked insight into his personal relationships and thus wasn't in a position to pass judgment on the dynamics between them and their peers.

“He’s uniformed. Don’t talk about me like that because you don’t know me like that. You don’t know my relationships with my former teammates, but you act like you know. You speak in a nice, calm, controlled way and give this kill job of me and it’s not true. It’s an opportunistic shot that he’s taking because he thinks that he’s going to gain an advantage by being a jac**** to me. Congratulations, Ryan. Good luck in your career as well.”

While Barber's remarks towards Barkley were undoubtedly harsh, Clark's retort and dig at Barber also carried a sharp edge. Now both figures find themselves entrenched in the media landscape, with Clark recently renegotiating his contract to remain at ESPN, while Barber has become a prominent member of the New York media. Their differing perspectives have led to a clash of opinions, resulting in both parties delving into personal territory, perhaps unnecessarily.

Steelers' Antonio Brown Against Ryan Clark

While the Steelers' former star wide receiver Antonio Brown wasn't without fault, he found himself embroiled in what appeared to be a rift with his former teammate Clark. 

This conflict traces back to 2012 when Brown secured a substantial contract. Eventually, Clark took the high road, issuing an apology and acknowledging his mistake in not reaching out to Brown personally.