Stephen A Smith sulkingStephen A. Smith (Photo via ESPN)
ESPN’s Stephen A Smith opened Tuesday’s episode of ‘First Take’ without Molly Qerim at the desk, immediately addressing her decision to quit the network.

News of Molly’s departure from The Worldwide Leader In Sports broke late Monday night, as Sports Business Journal’s Austin Karp cited sources claiming Molly would leave the company after working there for nearly two decades.

“Molly Qerim, the host of ESPN’s ‘First Take’ since 2015, is leaving the network at the end of the year, sources tell SBJ,” Karp wrote.

He added that, “ESPN offered Qerim a contract, but she choose to move on.”

Qerim confirmed this shortly after, taking to her Instagram Story to reveal that she would indeed leave, although she was unhappy with the way the development dropped.

“Now that the news came out earlier than I intended, and not in the way I hoped…” she wrote.

“To my First Take family, After much reflection, I’ve decided it’s time to close this incredible chapter and step away from First Take. Hosting this show has been one of the great honors of my career.

Stephen A Smith Cut A Somber Figure Opening ‘First Take’

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)
With ESPN still scrambling to replace Shannon Sharpe, losing Molly Qerim will come as a huge blow. Smith, who had a fiery reaction to Charlie Kirk’s killing nearly a week ago, was in quite the somber mood as he addressed the news on Tuesday morning.

“Good morning and welcome to First Take. Normally, our friend Molly Qerim would greet you. However, Molly announced last night she will be departing from ESPN,” he said.

“She’s hosted First Take for 10 years and elevated the show with her grace, her expertise and her incomparable kindness… we’ll miss her and wish her every blessing on her future.”

Molly has been with ESPN since 2006, working at NFL Network and CBS Sports before joining the network. She took on multiple roles there before taking over as the host of ‘First Take’ in 2015 and quickly became a fan favorite.

It will be interesting to see what she does next.

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.