Stephen A. Smith clears the air after alleged blowup with Pat McAfee

ESPN’s primetime slate of hosts don’t always get along but it’s very rare for any two prominent personalities to be openly hostile towards one another. This week, New York Post reporter Ryan Glasspiegel shared that First Take host Stephen A. Smith and Pat McAfee are on the outs after an “explosive argument” several weeks ago. The tiff between the high-value ESPN talents reportedly resulted in Smith barring McAfee from coming on First Take.

Speaking at South by Southwest in Austin this weekend, Smith disputed the claims about tension with his coworker but also noted that he wouldn’t share details on beef with McAfee even if there was any.

“Me and Pat McAfee are fine. And even if we aren’t, I’ll never tell,” Smith said, via Sportico. “It’s true, I’ll cuss your ass out, that’s me if you deserve it. After I said what I said, we are fine. With Pat McAfee, we are fine.”

The former Colts punter also disputed the reports this week. In a message from McAfee to The Post, the College GameDay co-host claimed he is not banned from First Take.

“I have nothing but love for Stephen A.,” McAfee wrote in a text message. “I think I’m still welcome on ‘First Take’? I was scheduled through football season to join on Tuesdays, hopefully next year that’ll happen as well.”

McAfee, Smith reportedly spar over new project

Smith holds leverage at ESPN. He began working at the company in 2007 and has since become the lead analyst on “First Take,” the program’s most successful show. In comparison, McAfee is the new kid on the block.

The former NFL punter began working at ESPN in 2019. In May 2023, ESPN announced that “The Pat McAfee Show” would move to its platforms, including ESPN television. Per “Sports Business Journal,” McAfee is only maintaining 302,000 of Smith’s 583,000 lead-in, which is a 48% drop.

“McAfee called Smith a ‘motherf–ker,’ Glasspiegel wrote. “The dispute arose from creative differences involving a yet-to-be-announced project that Stephen A. Smith is executive producing through his own production company, Mr. SAS Productions, that will ultimately air on ESPN.

“The Post heard that in the aftermath of the spat, Smith had banned McAfee from appearing on ‘First Take,’ where he had weekly Tuesday appearances during the football season, in the future.”

Smith also responded to the Post’s report via email with the outlet. He says the former NFL player will come on his show next season and “for years to come.”

“If McAfee wants to be on ‘First Take’ next season, he will be on ‘First Take’. I love winners and McAFee has proven he wins  — which helps ME win. I don’t know how many times I have to tell folks that he’s trail-blazed a path into a new era for so many of us. I’m grateful to have him as a part of my team and the ESPN Family. And I’m looking forward to having him on for years to come. I sincerely hope that I will not have to repeat myself on this nonsense again!”

On3’s Grant Grubbs contributed to this report.