As ESPN navigates through a week of tumultuous layoffs, Trey Wingo has stepped into the spotlight, armed with evidence to back his claims. The former ESPN fixture, having departed the network in November 2020 after an extensive 23-year tenure, now addresses comments made by another ex-ESPN personality, Emmanuel Acho.
Acho had declared that Ryan Clark, who was recently let go in the latest wave of layoffs, was instrumental in transforming “NFL Live” into a powerhouse. Although Acho acknowledged the contributions of others, it was Clark who received the spotlight.
Taking to social media, Wingo shared a graphic illustrating a downward trend in the show’s viewership spanning over a decade, challenging the narrative of its supposed rise.
Echoing back to a sentiment previously expressed by Acho, Wingo retorted, “Let your apology be as loud as your disrespect.” His response alluded to a comment Acho, a former NFL player and ESPN host, made just the day prior.
On Monday, the same day the news of Clark’s dismissal was delivered during “NFL Live,” Acho’s contentious tweet stirred the pot, adding yet another layer of drama to an already fraught situation.
“Ryan Clark built NFL Live into the juggernaut it is today (along with [Laura] Rutledge, Mina [Kimes], and [Marcus] Spears),” Acho said in an X post. “He didn’t *ideate* NFL Live, there’s a difference.”
Wingo certainly has inside knowledge when it comes to “NFL Live.”
He joined ESPN in the late 1990s and one of his signature responsibilities included hosting “NFL Live,” with Wingo helping build the show’s viewership after its 2003 launch.
Wingo pointed out that “NFL Live” viewership peaked in 2013 with 688,000 viewers and has not reached those heights since, having instead been on a steady decline.
Still, Wingo felt the need to defend his long-standing work on “NFL Live,” which included working alongside Adam Schefter, Mark Schlereth, Tedy Bruschi, Herm Edwards and Trent Dilfer.
Wingo’s line about the apologizing being as loud as the disrespect referenced Acho’s comments after he apologized to Deebo Samuel for remarks about the Commanders receiver that the latter objected to.
“NFL Live” enjoyed its ratings heyday from 2011-17, and Wingo left the show in 2017 for a failed radio opportunity with Mike Golic called “Golic and Wingo.”
The radio show was canceled in July 2020 after a two-plus-years run before Wingo wasn’t renewed by the network, later moving on as the Chief Trends Officer of Caesars Sportsbook, among other jobs he’s held.