Stephen Anthony Smith, an American sportswriter, broadcaster, and radio host, is presently employed by ESPN. He is best known for his performances on the popular program First Take, where he teams up with the host Molly Qerim to provide sharp commentary.
On the now-defunct cable network CNN/SI, Smith’s television career debuted in 1999. Before he shifted his focus to basketball and started working as an NBA commentator, he later hosted his own ESPN show, Quite Frankly with Stephen A. Smith.
In addition, he worked as an anchor for SportsCenter’s Sunday morning broadcast and made guest appearances on various other ESPN shows, including Dream Job, Pardon the Interruption, and Jim Rome Is Burning.
Smith returned to ESPN in 2012 as a regular host of First Take after leaving the network in 2009. He has animated conversations with fellow commentator Skip Bayless there.
According to controversial remarks Smith has made over the years involving domestic violence and other matters, the Philadelphia Eagles coach Chip Kelly’s personnel picks may have been racially motivated.
Despite the scandals, Smith has maintained his reputation as a prominent figure in the sports media sector. He recently signed a multi-year deal with ESPN that will pay him more than $3 million yearly.
Why has Stephen A. Smith been suspended?
Did Stephen A. Smith apologize? Yes, on July 30, 2014, ESPN suspended Stephen A. Smith for one week due to his inflammatory statements about domestic abuse. Smith urged that women take care not to provoke men to violence.
The remarks were widely condemned, and Smith faced opposition from a variety of groups, including women’s rights organizations.
Smith apologized for his statements on-air on July 29, 2014, in a taped message aired at the start of the show he co-hosts with Skip Bayless. The suspension was announced by ESPN on July 29, 2014, and it went into effect immediately.