Stephen A. Smith SLAMS Molly Qerim After Her Blockbuster NBC Sports Deal—Inside the Messiest Feud in Sports Media

In a twist that has stunned the sports broadcasting world, Stephen A. Smith—the face of ESPN’s First Take—has publicly slammed his longtime co-host Molly Qerim after she signed a massive new deal with NBC Sports. What should have been a triumphant career leap for Qerim has instead erupted into a full-blown media feud, bruised egos, and a rivalry that could reshape the future of sports television.

For over a decade, Molly Qerim was the steady hand moderating ESPN’s highest-rated debate show, keeping tempers in check and egos in line as Stephen A. Smith and other analysts sparred on live TV. But when Qerim abruptly exited First Take, fans were left reeling. No farewell show, no heartfelt goodbye—just a brief Instagram story and silence. Behind the scenes, insiders say Smith was furious. The show he’d helped build had lost its anchor, and ESPN’s top executives seemed powerless to stop it.

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Officially, ESPN chalked up Qerim’s departure to contract negotiations. She declined a renewal, reportedly feeling undervalued as her salary lagged far behind Smith’s $20 million annual paycheck. But the timing was suspicious. Within weeks, NBC Sports swooped in with a multi-million dollar offer, not just for a hosting gig but with executive producer credits and cross-platform projects—opportunities ESPN had never given her.

The split was anything but amicable. Smith, who once praised Qerim as a trusted partner, soon shifted his tone. On his Sirius XM radio show, he delivered pointed monologues about humility and “knowing your place” in the industry, never mentioning Qerim by name but making it painfully clear who he was talking about. The subtext? Smith felt betrayed, and he wanted the world to know it.

Qerim’s leap to NBC wasn’t just about money—it was about escaping a system that treated her as second fiddle. As ESPN lavished new contracts on other female talent, Qerim watched as her own contributions were lowballed. “I’ve carried this show for 10 years,” she reportedly told insiders. “And when it comes time for the network to invest in me, they lowball me.” That realization fueled her exit, and the speed of her departure left ESPN scrambling.

NBC, meanwhile, seized the moment. Their press release celebrated Qerim’s experience, her reputation as a stabilizing force, and her vision for building something fresh. They didn’t just hire her—they made her the centerpiece of a new programming push designed to compete head-to-head with ESPN’s morning dominance. And they offered her something ESPN never would: real creative control.

Smith’s reaction was swift and unmistakable. Instead of congratulating his former co-host, he fired off veiled warnings about “defining your own value” and the dangers of “overplaying your hand.” The irony was glaring: Smith himself had spent years leveraging his own worth, forcing ESPN’s hand until he became the highest paid personality at the network. But when Qerim did the same, Smith cried foul.

The fallout was immediate. ESPN launched a carousel of guest moderators, trying to fill the void Qerim left behind. But fans noticed the difference. Without her, First Take’s energy was off, debates spiraled, and the balance was gone. Suddenly, viewers who once criticized Qerim for interrupting realized how crucial she’d been to the show’s success.

Meanwhile, NBC wasted no time hyping Qerim’s arrival. Her new deal reportedly includes performance escalators, Olympic coverage, NFL features, and even late-night crossover opportunities. For Qerim, it’s not just a paycheck—it’s a chance to become a household name and shape her own legacy.

Behind the scenes, the rivalry only intensified. Reports surfaced that Smith had made frantic calls to ESPN brass, demanding answers and hinting at his own future outside the network. For a man who prides himself on being the fixer, losing Qerim in such dramatic fashion was a blow to his empire.

But the real story is bigger than just two TV personalities. Qerim’s move to NBC marks a shift in sports media, where moderators and sidekicks are no longer content to sit quietly while the stars cash the checks. It’s about talent—especially women—demanding not just seats at the table, but control of the table itself.

Stephen A. Smith may have slammed Molly Qerim, but in doing so, he revealed a deeper fear: that the empire he built at ESPN may not be as secure as it seems. And Qerim, betting on herself, is proving that sometimes the boldest move is to walk away and build something new.