Stephen A. Smith has responded following a jab from Tyreek Hill.
The Miami Dolphins wide receiver was speaking in defense of teammate Tua Tagovailoa, whom Smith says isn’t deserving of the MVP because Hill makes the game too easy for him, suggesting the ‘First Take’ host was talking crazy.
“The quarterback is the hardest position in the league, and for a guy to be even considered to be MVP, that’s next level,” Hill said. “And for Stephen A. Smith to just go out of his way and say that Tua isn’t worthy of being MVP, it’s crazy. It’s crazy to me.”
Smith has since responded to Hill’s comments, telling him he has no idea what he’s talking about.
“Everything is not said to be taken literally,” he said on ‘First Take’ this Friday. “Of course I was not trying to say that Tua Tagovailoa can’t throw the damn football. I certainly wasn’t implying that he wasn’t an MVP candidate.
“This is the first time that I’ve had to come to my own defense because I’ve been called out by a guy I consider to be the best in the world. The discussion was that Tyreek Hill is so electrifying…the dude is phenomenal.
“What I was trying to say was, you can throw him a three-yard pass and this brother could take it to the house. I was not trying to say ‘that’s all that Tua does.’”
Smith added that his knowledge of football is also helped by his being around so many people who have played the game at the highest level themselves.
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“I report on the sport,” he explained. “I watch it. I learn from brilliance. All these brothers [in the studio]…they teach me the game. Every single week.
“The reason why ‘First Take’ is No. 1 is not because of me. It’s because I hand-picked these brothers to come on the show and educate me and our viewers.”
Tua, though, is having an incredible season with the Dolphins, having passed for 1876 yards, 14 touchdowns, and five interceptions in six games. He’s become even more effective after learning how to fall when he gets hit and the Dolphins look like legitimate Super Bowl contenders now that they’re firing on all cylinders again.
Of course, having Tyreek Hill as a target means everything. Hill has registered 814 receiving yards and six receiving TDs to lead the NFL in both categories.
