Fresh after RG III beef, Ryan Clark calls out Mike Florio for "slimy" reporting on Bill Belichick-Jordon Hudson-Channing Crowder story

Ryan Clark fired back at NBC Sports' Mike Florio for what he called "slimy" reporting tactics in covering "The Pivot" podcast's Bill Belichick interview controversy.

Clark serves as co-host of podcast alongside Channing Crowder and Fred Taylor. Florio writes for NBC Sports' Pro Football Talk and has covered the NFL for years. The dispute centers on Florio's coverage of Belichick's girlfriend, Jordon Hudson's alleged influence over the podcast interview.

Clark responded to Florio's reporting on Wednesday, through a post on X. The message came after Florio published an article questioning "The Pivot's" editorial decisions regarding the Belichick-Hudson interview.

"Well Mike. It wasn't a pre show meeting," Clark tweeted on Wednesday. "Both Channing & Fred were on the same flight delayed from Miami. I was already in NY. So I was there first. As for serving the viewers we will not do that at the expense of people who volunteer to give us their time.

"We have had various reasons for edits, & exemptions. From contractual agreements, second thoughts, or just not liking how it felt. Moving slimy in the name of clicks is not worth the integrity of our show. Jordon was not contacted nor involved in any conversation about the timing in which what we documented could be released. That conversation took place between Bill & I."

The controversy began on Tuesday when Crowder made candid comments about Hudson's role during Belichick's interview appearance. Crowder later apologized publicly for his remarks about Hudson's influence over the legendary coach.

Ryan Clark defends editorial independence amid criticism

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Ryan Clark pushed back against suggestions that Jordon Hudson controlled the interview process. He clarified the circumstances surrounding the pre-interview meeting and editorial decisions.

Mike Florio questioned why "The Pivot" suppressed a joint interview with both Bill Belichick and Hudson. The NBC Sports writer suggested this represented "choreography" and extensive control over the interview process.

"Jordon wanted to be represented in a certain way, wanted their relationship to be represented in a certain way," Clark said on Tuesday. "And the conversations we had afterwards, before the show was released, what we'll show or what can we show about Bill speaking about her and the rest of our interview?"

Clark's response to Florio came during a particularly challenging week for the podcast host. Just days earlier, he was engaged in a public dispute with former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III over comments about WNBA stars Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese.

The controversy began when Griffin declared that Reese "hates" Caitlin following their on-court confrontation on May 17. Ryan criticized Griffin's take and made personal references to his interracial marriage, which escalated the conflict significantly.

Ryan later admitted fault in the situation, acknowledging he shouldn't have brought Griffin's wife into the discussion. He explained that personal feelings about Griffin influenced his response to what should have been purely a sports opinion.

Florio's article suggested podcasts should serve audiences rather than guests, questioning why "The Pivot" would suppress potentially newsworthy content. Clark's response emphasized that protecting guests who volunteer their time takes precedence over generating clicks through controversial content.