Stephen A. Smith wants Shannon Sharpe to join other ex-NFL pros-turned-analysts on ESPN’s First Take

Stephen A. Smith has finally revealed his thoughts on Shannon Sharpe’s upcoming departure from Fox Sports 1, sharing that he would invite the three-time Super Bowl winner to appear on ESPN’s First Take, but only as guest, and not as a co-host. 

On Wednesday, it was announced that Fox Sports and Sharpe agreed to a buyout, putting an end to the analyst’s seven-year run as co-host of ‘Undisputed’ alongside Skip Bayless. 

Smith, who previously served as debate partners with Bayless on ESPN from 2012-2016, officially weighed in on the news on his Fan Duel podcast and invited Sharpe to join the list of former NFL players-turned-analysts on ‘First Take.’ 

Smith mentioned early on that he wouldn’t provide his opinion on Bayless, who was pivotal in Smith’s hiring at ESPN 11 years ago, before talking about Sharpe’s exit later in June. 

‘When news was announced that Shannon Sharpe had been bought out of FS1 and he would be leaving at the conclusion of the NBA Finals, there were two things that came to my mind,’ Smith said. 

Shannon Sharpe is set to leave Fox Sports’ ‘Undisputed’, seven years after co-hosting the show

‘That’s a big loss for the show ”Undisputed” because Shannon matters, and that I don’t know what his plans are, I don’t know what he’s trying to pursue, I don’t know what he’s after, but if Shannon Sharpe needs me, then I’m happy to be there for him.

‘And if that includes wanting to come on ”First Take,” the bosses at ESPN know that is something that I would support.’ 

Smith said he wouldn’t consider Sharpe as a day-to-day on-air partner on his show, but that he’d add the former tight end to the weekly rotation that also includes the likes of Michael Irvin, Keyshawn Johnson, Ryan Clark, Dan Orlovsky, Marcus Spears and Damien Woody. 

Smith joined ‘First Take’ on ESPN in 2012, squaring off against longtime analyst Skip Bayless (R)

‘I’m telling you right here: if Shannon Sharpe wanted to join that roster, there’s no resistance from Stephen A. I’ve got love for Shannon Sharpe,’ Smith said. 

Smith added that he was ‘not surprised at all’ in regards to Sharpe’s departure from ‘Undisputed’, referring to the on-air spat between the Pro Football Hall of Famer and Bayless over Damar Hamlin’s cardiac arrest in January. 

The 55-year-old, Bronx native clarified that he’s never spoken to Sharpe or Bayless about their feud, but he remembers thinking to himself that ‘this is over’ when both TV personalities butted heads on-air, five months ago. 

Smith also announced that he and Sharpe agreed to appear on both ‘Club Shay Shay’ and Smith’s eponymous show in the near future.

On Friday, it was revealed that Sharpe’s ‘power struggle’ with Bayless led to a buyout with Fox Sports, according to ex-NFL star and FS1 personality, Marcellus Wiley.