Kevin Clark is regarded as one of the best interviewers in the sport of football. His skill set was shaped from birth, as the son of two journalists, and refined while flipping through the sports section of his local newspaper. Following his graduation from the University of Miami, his approach has centered on combining his love for sports with a deeply rooted sense of journalism.
“Instead of saying I have a five-year plan, you just try to be good at everything and hone a million different skills,” explained Clark on his approach to his career. “All you can do is work hard and study where the audience is going. It’s been the same formula for the entire existence of media.”
It’s been nearly three years since Clark made a decision that changed his outlook. After seven years at The Ringer, where he wrote and hosted his popular Slow News Day podcast, his work earned him an opportunity to join ESPN and its partnership with Omaha Productions.
In 2023, Clark launched a new podcast, This Is Football, centered on having “the best conversations in football.” Each episode leans into his journalistic background and curiosity, creating compelling conversations with the biggest names in the game.
That approach is what separates This Is Football as one of the more successful football podcasts in a crowded sports media ecosystem.
“There’s so much you can do today, and it’s made our industry better because there’s more competition,” explains Clark. “Being on television is no longer the only voice in the room. Now, we have a culture of competition that back then simply did not exist.”
That culture fueled Clark’s transition from covering the NFL at The Wall Street Journal to joining The Ringer in 2016.
Brand Value & Clip Culture
While at Bill Simmons’ media company, Clark expanded his skill set from reporter to featured writer and podcast host. With an eye on emerging trends in sports media, he worked to develop new skills and stay ahead in an evolving landscape.
With This Is Football, Clark takes the most pride in how the brand has established itself—not just with a growing online audience, but with NFL franchises as well.
“The most important thing for us is establishing a brand that people know what they’re getting when they come on our show,” said Clark. “That’s what I’m most proud of. When we have something, it cuts through, which is something you can’t take for granted.”
To “cut through,” Clark focuses on ensuring the right clips from his interviews help market the program on social media. His goal in every interview is to generate moments that “stop the scroll.”
Using extensive research, he pieces together insights from prior interviews and identifies topics that deserve deeper exploration.
“You’re going to stop scrolling on the timeline if you see an impassioned take or a deep dive from a famous person,” notes Clark. “There’s no other secret ingredient. It’s not rocket science. It’s all about compelling information from compelling people… [This Is Football] evolved so much to meet people where they are on social media and shows on ESPN.”
Each show produces these clips with the Omaha Productions digital team, distributing them across every major social media platform. Clark notes a deliberate focus on reaching different audience segments that may connect with the content in unique ways. While he doesn’t obsess over every metric, his goal is simple: consistent growth and meaningful impact in a competitive sports content landscape.
Simmons vs Manning
His motivation has always come from working with people who deeply care about their product. Clark has had the rare opportunity to work with both Bill Simmons and Omaha Productions founder Peyton Manning. He notes that both share a similar approach to building their brands.
“I cannot believe I’ve had the opportunity to know, let alone work, for both of them. They both care so deeply about the product and get fired up when you’re as fired up as they are,” said Clark. “They both have had incredible second pivots in their careers. Their curiosity led to that, and a desire to roll up their sleeves and get it done no matter what.”
Clark also revealed that he turned down several offers from legacy media brands in 2016 to join The Ringer, which he described at the time as a “podcast startup.” His belief in Simmons drove that decision, as he trusted Simmons would not allow The Ringer to fail.
That same drive is what Clark sought when ESPN and Omaha Productions approached him in 2023.
“I love both Peyton and Bill. They’re absolute media geniuses. How could you not want to work for either of those guys,” said Clark. “Most people would feel extremely lucky to just work for one. To work for both is beyond comprehension.”
Sports Media Evolution
The evolution of sports media has played out throughout Clark’s career. He recalled a conversation with former NFL Chief Media and Business executive Brian Rolapp in 2016, while weighing his decision to leave The Wall Street Journal for The Ringer.
“He had a front row seat to sports media and told me in 2016, any job could be the best job in the world. However, at that time you needed space at legacy media brands to grow. Now, anyone can start up a YouTube page and be the highest paid person in sports media in eighteen months,” said Clark.
That conversation reshaped Clark’s perspective—not only on where sports media was headed, but on what it takes to succeed.
“In media, you’re six bad months from losing your voice in the industry. Far more important than contracts or role is your credibility and your name. Your name has to be more important than any show you’ll ever be on,” notes Clark. “It’s about what my name means when I talk about football. You always have to study where the audience is and cultivate different things on different platforms to grow.”
That understanding of what content succeeds has helped establish Clark as one of the emerging voices in the sport. Even as the industry faces disruption from artificial intelligence, he sees opportunity rather than threat.
“It’s been the same formula for the entire existence of media. It’s just the medium that’s changing,” said Clark. “If you were a sports columnist in 1980, you’d have a monopoly in your market. Now, you can dominate five different platforms with a worldwide audience. If you’re not excited about this era, then I don’t know what you’d be excited about.”
ESPN Super Bowl
Clark is especially energized by the upcoming NFL season, with ESPN set to broadcast its first Super Bowl in company history. While he hinted at additional projects tied to the event, he insists he feels no added pressure tied to the moment.
Instead, he’s embracing the opportunity one day at a time.
“Do good work with people you like. I’m so blessed to like all these people I’m doing television with. I’ve never had a negative interaction with any of them, and some of them are my heroes,” said Clark. “The Super Bowl is a cool milestone for ESPN. That broadcast is going to be unbelievable because I know and respect the people who are doing it.”
Clark’s outlook—shaped by years in an industry that never stands still—ultimately comes back to something simpler than algorithms, platforms, or access. It comes down to trust.
The trust he has built with audiences. The trust placed in him by leaders like Bill Simmons and Peyton Manning. And the trust he continues to earn with every conversation he produces.
In a space where anyone can grab a microphone and chase relevance, Clark has built something more sustainable: credibility that travels with him, no matter the medium. That’s why This Is Football resonates.
Not because it’s louder or flashier, but because it’s intentional.
As the next wave of sports media continues to blur the lines between traditional and digital, Clark isn’t chasing where the industry is going. He’s already there—doing what he has always done: asking better questions, finding sharper angles, and delivering content that cuts through.
Because Clark remains curious, credible, and, above all, worth listening to.
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John Mamola is Barrett Media’s sports editor and daily sports columnist. He brings over two decades of experience (Chicago, Tampa/St Petersburg) in the broadcast industry with expertise in brand management, sales, promotions, producing, imaging, hosting, talent coaching, talent development, web development, social media strategy and design, video production, creative writing, partnership building, communication/networking with a long track record of growth and success. He is a five-time recognized top 20 program director in a major market via Barrett Medi’s Top 20 series and has been honored internally multiple times as station/brand of the year (Tampa, FL) and employee of the month (Tampa, FL) by iHeartMedia. Connect with John by email at John@BarrettMedia.com.
