Report: Shannon Sharpe to join Stephen A. Smith on 'First Take' during NFL season
Shannon Sharpe has found someone to argue with again. Per a report from Andrew Marchand of The New York Post says that Sharpe will join the ESPN First Take team during the NFL season.
Per the report, Sharpe will debate long-time ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith on Mondays and Tuesdays during the fall. The Pro Football Hall of Famer recently left his gig at FS1, where he debated Skip Bayless on the show Undisputed.
Marchand also reports that Sharpe’s Club Shay Shay podcast should find a home soon. So, it only took a few months for the tight end-turned-analyst to find a new home.
ESPN had not responded for comment at the time of The Post‘s initial report.
Once Sharpe left Undisputed following the conclusion of the NBA Finals, Smith expressed interest in working together. He made the comment on his radio show.
“And that I don’t know what his plans are. I don’t know what he’s trying to pursue. I don’t know what he’s after. But if Shannon Sharpe needs me, I’m happy to be here for him. And if that included him wanting to come on First Take, the bosses at ESPN know that is something I would support,” Smith said on the Stephen A. Smith Show.
Sharpe worked with Bayless on Undisputed since 2016.
‘Undisputed’ gets new co-host for Skip Bayless
The news of Sharpe landing on First Take comes a few weeks after Undisputed found a new co-host to sit across from Skip Bayless. It’s another former NFL star, too.
The New York Post reported that Richard Sherman will be Sharpe’s replacement for the FS1 program. It sounds like it will be another NFL-style partnership, with Sherman joining the program for 50-100 shows, primarily during the NFL season.
Sherman, who retired from the NFL following the 2021 season, had an infamous run-in with Bayless back in 2013, when the 71-year-old was on ESPN‘s “First Take.” The three-time All-Pro went as far to say that Bayless had never accomplished anything. Bayless recalled the incident on his podcast last year, and said he felt “blindsided.”
“He personally attacked me,” Bayless said, via Awful Announcing. “Unrelentingly attacked me. So much for ‘please no controversy today.’ I immediately felt ambushed, bushwhacked, set up, blindsided. I was suddenly… forced to fight without fighting… Had to defend myself with both hands tied behind my back.”
Sherman plans to continue working for Amazon Prime Video as part of the Thursday Night Football team, as well.