Stephen A. Smith has made a surprising revelation pertaining to Shannon Sharpe’s ‘Undisputed’ exit.
Sharpe is now Smith’s debate partner at ‘First Take’ following a seven-year stint at FS1, having sat opposite Skip Bayless for the last time the day after the NBA Finals in June.
And he can’t seem to get his old running mate off his mind.
It’s been understood that the decision to leave the show was Sharpe’s. However, Stephen A. is claiming otherwise. Appearing on ‘The Joe Budden Podcast’, the ESPN star insisted the former NFL tight end was forced out.
Smith was asked about the shots which have been taken at Bayless since Sharpe joined The Worldwide Leader in Sports and had a drawn-out response in which he claimed Shannon never wanted to leave ‘Undisputed’.
“I would have looked at it that way if Shannon left on his own volition,” he said. “I’m telling you he didn’t. I’m telling you he was pushed out … and it’s fact. Now, they can deny it, he wouldn’t, I can promise you that. He was pushed out. He didn’t want to leave. He was notified that your services will no longer be needed. But again, that’s his story to tell, but I’m telling you what I know, I’m giving you facts.”
Click on ‘Follow Us’ and get notified of the most viral NFL stories via Google! Follow Us
Smith also recalled his own experience with getting pushed out of ESPN in 2009.
“I saw me from the standpoint of, I was let go in 2009 and left for dead, and they were writing my epitaph and they were like, ‘Stephen A’s career is over, he blew it, he had the opportunity of a lifetime, he effed it up and blah blah blah,’” he continued.
“And I was like, there was nobody in the present-day Stephen A. Smith’s position as the guy in sports media, as the executive producer for the No. 1 sports morning show, that could speak up for me at that time. And I said this is why I’m here, it’s my responsibility.”
Not gonna lie, we’re hoping this revelation opens a can of worms and prompts Skip to respond.
