Stephen A. Smith and Pat McAfee, two of the biggest names in the sports analyst’s world, have recently had a feud. The Pat McAfee show is already infamous for explosions and there were rumors about some internal conflict.
However, this time it seems like the situation has worsened to the extent of Pat McAfee getting banned.
Stephen A. Smith reportedly involved in heated argument with Pat McAfee
Stephen A. Smith and Pat McAfee engaged in a heated argument, as reported by the New York Post. The argument stemmed from creative differences over a project that Smith’s production company, Mr. SAS Productions, was working on for ESPN.
The dispute escalated to the point where McAfee reportedly called Smith a “motherf—er.” It was also reported that Smith banned McAfee from appearing on “First Take” following the argument.
However, Pat McAfee denied the existence of a ban, expressing his respect and positive feelings towards Smith.
“I have nothing but love for Stephen A.,” McAfee said.
Smith also refuted the ban, stating that he has no issues with McAfee and that the report is false.
McAfee mentioned that he was scheduled to appear on “First Take” on Tuesdays throughout the football season, indicating that he still had a relationship with the show.
“Pat McAfee and I have no issue, and the notion that he’d be banned from First Take is BS,” Smith said. “We are No. 1, and he absolutely contributed to us remaining No. 1.”
Smith also acknowledged McAfee’s contributions to the success of “First Take” and denied any notion of banning McAfee from the show.
Stephen A. Smith catches flack from another NFL personality
Cam Newton, a former NFL MVP, has emerged as a significant figure in sports media since the beginning of 2024. Newton, who recently welcomed his eighth child, declares that we are living in a golden age of athlete-generated content. He emphasized the importance of hearing from athletes directly rather than from traditional media figures like Stephen A. Smith.
“People tune in to podcasts—this is a podcast epidemic, you know what I’m saying?” Newton told Shaquille O’Neal.
He contrasted athlete-generated content with traditional media figures like Stephen A. Smith, suggesting a preference for hearing directly from athletes rather than traditional journalists.
“Everybody got one. You get a podcast; you get a podcast. But the truth of the matter is, people are leaning into receiving their content in a different way; digesting it in a different way. If I want to hear about basketball, I want to hear from Shaquille O’Neal, not ******* respectfully, Stephen A. Smith.”
While acknowledging respect for figures like Smith, he highlighted the tension between traditional media and athlete-driven narratives.
“And Stephen A.’s a good guy. But, it’s like, are you comparing apples to apples? Yeah, am I a fan of Scott Van Pelt? Am I fan of — rest in peace — Stuart Scott? Yeah; do I want to suppress their road to — no, by no means. But, if you’re talking about real emotions, real preparations, real feelings, real experiences, you’re going straight to the source.”
Stephen A. Smith has yet to respond directly to Newton’s comments but has previously voiced criticisms of new media. This time Newton has criticized Smith’s job, so he will make sure to make a stronger comeback.
