Molly Qerim holding sheetsMolly Qerim (Photo via Imagn Images)
Molly Qerim sent shockwaves through the sports and sports media worlds by abruptly quitting ESPN on Monday night.

The longtime ‘First Take’ host reported for work on Monday as usual but was a no-show on Tuesday. She announced her departure the night before, after news of her getting ready to leave leaked online.

Sports Business Journal initially reported that Qerim would leave ESPN at the end of the year. She confirmed this on Instagram, but her departure was immediate.

ESPN President Of Content Reveals Molly Qerim Was Always Leaving ‘First Take’

ESPN’s Molly Qerim Makes Headlines With Big AnnouncementMolly Qerim (Photo By Instagram/@mollyqerim)

ESPN president of content Burke Magnus has since spoken to The Athletic, suggesting that Molly would have been taken off ‘First Take’ anyhow, but the network had other roles in mind for her.

“He said that ESPN and Qerim were negotiating about roles beyond ‘First Take.” He made clear that ESPN wanted her to stay at the company, even as Qerim was going to be coming off the show by the end of the year,” the report reads.

Magnus’s account of Qerim’s exit will be detailed in a lengthy interview, which is soon to be published. However, Stephen A. Smith has already dropped a hint, having also gone viral this week for his response to ABC cutting Jimmy Kimmel.

Meanwhile, the network’s president of content was unable to shed any light on who might come in as a replacement for Molly.

“I don’t know if it’ll be someone in-house or not,” he said. “We’re not locked into anything in particular. The one thing that was unexpected was the timing of all this.”

He noted that ESPN was keen on keeping Molly Qerim at ESPN, although her deal would be up at the end of the year, but lost control of the situation once the report was leaked and she confirmed it on social media.

REPORT: Shocking New Details Reveal Michael Jordan’s Hidden Power Move With NBC Sports

New details reveal Michael Jordan’s exact role with NBC Sports, offering fresh insight into his growing influence off the courtMichael Jordan (Photo by Jim Dedmon/Imagn Images)
NBC dropped a huge announcement when they roped in the services of Michael Jordan. With the league returning to the network next season, NBC is said to have some big plans with the Chicago Bulls legend. While it is clear that he will be a part of the overall coverage, the media outlet has remained tight-lipped about the same. Till now, it was only known that Jordan will be acting as a ‘special contributor’ for NBC. But now, there might be some shocking details emerging.

Speaking on the topic, Alex Sherman of ‘CNBC’ provided some insight into the matter. He pointed out that the preliminary plans for Jordan are to appear in taped segments. This way, Jordan will be providing analysis on the games. These tapes are expected to be aired either at halftime or at the end of each game.

Sherman also pointed out that NBC will also keep the opportunity for Jordan’s role to evolve in the future. Extending the topic further, ‘CNBC’ also reported that the deal with Jordan was orchestrated by none other than his longtime friend, Jon Miller. Meanwhile, after landing such a huge deal, it is quite expected that Michael Jordan will be elated.

Michael Jordan Gets Candid About His Feelings After The NBC Deals

Sep 1, 2024; Darlington, South Carolina, USA; NASCAR Cup Series Team 23XI owner Michael Jordan watches a video board as NASCAR Cup Series driver Bubba Wallace (23) races during the Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
After the announcements were made, Jordan looked quite happy to have landed himself a big role. Afterall, considering the legend he is, Jordan’s valuable insights will be a great addition to the league’s coverage. Shedding light on the matter, Jordan stated how he was utterly excited to be working with NBC.

“I am so excited to see the NBA back on NBC,” Jordan said in a short clip. “The NBA on NBC was a meaningful part of my career, and I’m excited about being a special contributor to the project. I’m looking forward to seeing you all when the NBA on NBC launches this October.”

Thus, with things looking quite upbeat for Jordan, it now remains to be seen how things pan out in the future.