Stephen A. Smith called Ryan Clark his “friend” and “brother” after ESPN fired the former Pittsburgh Steelers safety in a round of layoffs. At the same time, Smith also expressed his disappointment and frustration with Clark’s departure after serving the network for over 10 years. However, ex-FOX analyst Emmanuel Acho found Smith’s apology weird, considering the ESPN analyst had the power to stop Clark’s firing.

“Ryan has no issue with Stephen A. Smith, so I, by proxy, have no issue with Stephen A. Smith,” Acho said on Speakeasy. “But Stephen A. Smith could have stopped this. And that’s what’s weird to me about seeing this apology is, Stephen A., you both have enough power to go to the executives and say, ‘I don’t want him to get fired.’ And B, you’ve enough power and fiscal responsibility and freedom to say, ‘I’ll do whatever is in my power to make sure they don’t stop this.'”

Acho used his own media career as an example. He revealed that at one point, he was making $800,000 per year when one of his colleagues was asking for a $25,000 pay raise. Acho, meanwhile, agreed to take a $25,000 pay cut and asked the network to give it to his colleague instead. Now, after ESPN fired Clark on Monday, Acho believes Stephen A. Smith could have helped prevent it.

Smith has been one of the network’s leading analysts, featuring as a commentator and executive producer on ESPN’s First Take, while also serving as the network’s premier sports debater. Most recently, he signed a five-year, $105 million contract with ESPN. Considering this, Acho feels that the media personality could have done more to keep Clark at the broadcaster.

“I am not happy about this decision one bit,” Smith said about ESPN’s decision for Clark on his Straight Shooter With Stephen A. Podcast. “The bosses know I’m not happy about this decision. I’ve made that very, very clear.”

Clark first joined ESPN back in 2015 after retiring from the NFL. Per reports, he was making around $2 million per year under his existing contract before being let go. For Acho, these ESPN layoffs carried significant weight, as he was also let go as part of a broader FS1 programming overhaul at the same time last year because of low ratings across FS1’s daytime lineup.

It included Acho’s The Facility, which drew around 121,000 viewers during portions of its run. In addition, the network canceled Speak and Breakfast Ball alongside The Facility. But this has become a recurring pattern in the broadcasting industry. Abrupt overhauls have long been part of the business: last year it was FOX’s FS1, and this year, it’s ESPN.