Stephen A Smith speaking into micStephen A. Smith (Photo via Imagn Images)
Stephen A Smith has long been thought to be in line for a role on ESPN’s coverage of the NFL, and he’s hardly made any secret of his desire.

And now, the ‘First Take’ host has been handed a new position in the wake of co-host Molly Qerim’s departure from the network this week.

According to a report from Front Office Sports, Smith will be part of ‘Monday Night Football’ as of this season and will make at least three appearances on the ‘Monday Night Countdown’ pregame show, the first of which will come next Monday.

“I’m going to be doing at least three Monday Night Football games this year,” he told the outlet.

FOS had reported that appearances on ‘MNF’ would be part of the massive $100 million deal Smith signed with ESPN, and by securing such a deal, he’s set to follow in the footsteps of his childhood idol, Howard Cosell.

Smith will appear on the pregame show ahead of games between the Baltimore Ravens and Detroit Lions next Monday, the Arizona Cardinals – Dallas Cowboys clash in Week 9, and the Philadelphia Eagles showdown with the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 14.

“Those are just the three I know about. Knowing them at ESPN, they’ll want more,” Smith explained. “They’ll certainly want more of me on NBA Countdown. And so who knows? I mean, I’m doing First Take. But it’s ESPN.”

Stephen A Smith Addresses Molly Qerim’s Departure

Molly Qerim made an effort to support Stephen A. Smith during a mistake that occurred on-air; however, he chose not to accept her assistanceStephen A. Smith and Molly Qerim (Image Credit: @awfulannouncing/X)

As noted above, this follows Molly Qerim’s abrupt departure from The Worldwide Leader in Sports, something Smith addressed on ‘First Take’ this Tuesday after the shocking news of her exit dropped on Monday night.

Stephen A. dropped a major hint regarding the surprising development on his own show, having also told FOS, “She’s obviously a significant part of the show. And I’m going to miss her.”

Meanwhile, there have been questions over whether Stephen A Smith will join the ‘Inside the NBA’ crew following ESPN’s acquisition of the show from TNT, but he says it will be up to the panel.

“I will be there for whatever they want me to be there for. But it’s their show–and it’s their call. I totally understand that,” he said. “That’s what I insisted upon. I will never do it unless they ask me to.”

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.