Stephen A. Smith Comments on Molly Kerim’s Exit from ESPN’s “First Take”

Stephen A. Smith recently shared his thoughts on Molly Kerim’s unexpected exit from ESPN’s “First Take.”

During a Wednesday appearance on “Michael Irvin and the White House,” a Netflix show featuring Irvin and Brandon Marshall, Smith discussed what led to Kerim’s resignation in September.

He emphasized that her departure had nothing to do with him personally. Despite being the show’s executive producer, Smith indicated that the decision came from higher up in the organization.

“Molly decided she wanted to break up and she had some issues that she didn’t talk about,” he explained. “It didn’t concern me, but she had some issues that she was most concerned about and suddenly made the decision to resign.”

Smith expressed his feelings about their decade-long partnership, saying, “I loved her. I didn’t want her to leave.”

Kerim had been a host on “First Take” for 10 years before her sudden decision. On September 15th, she hosted as normal, but the next day, she was notably absent, prompting Smith to mention on the following broadcast that he hadn’t been informed of her choice.

While ESPN looks for potential replacements, Burke Magnus, ESPN’s President of Content, noted, “We knew we were going to make a change… but her contract runs through the end of the year, and we were more focused on that schedule.”

This remark hinted that plans to part ways with Kerim were already in the works even before her resignation.

It’s still uncertain if this premeditated change led to her leaving in September, although reports suggest she declined an offer for a new contract from ESPN.

Ultimately, Kerim was replaced by Shea Cornett, who joined the network in 2019.

On Wednesday, Smith reiterated that he thought Kerim was doing a “great job” and that she was “real,” but he also acknowledged that he would miss her presence on the show.

Following her departure, Kerim posted on her Instagram, saying, “After much consideration, I have decided that it is time to close this wonderful chapter and step away from First Take. Hosting this show has been one of the greatest honors of my career.”

She has since moved on from ESPN and is now hosting Zuffa Boxing on Paramount+.

Smith concluded with thoughts about the nature of business decisions, remarking, “You can complain until the cows come home, but someone has to make the call.”