Stephen A. Smith Facing Backlash After Revealing His New Goal at ESPN

At 56 years old, ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith is still at the top of his game. But he has his sights set even higher.

In an interview with Michael McCarthy of Front Office Sports published on September 9, Smith revealed that he wants to make waves in the NFL landscape. Specifically, joining ESPN's "Monday Night Football" broadcast in some capacity.

"I don’t want to insult the legacy of the great Howard Cosell, who’s somebody that I idolized, but that’s what I want to do,” Smith told FOS. “When I think about the NFL, I’m not talking about being in the booth with Troy Aikman and Joe Buck. You don’t mess with that chemistry; you leave that alone.

"But I’m unapologetic about what I want," he continued. "I would love to be a part of Monday Night Football. I would love to work with Jason Kelce and Scott Van Pelt and Ryan Clark and my man Marcus Spears. I mean, two of those guys are on 'First Take' every week.”

Fan backlash quickly began to pour in on X (formerly Twitter) after Front Office Sports shared the news.

"No thanks. This guy needs to be off TV, not given more airtime," one fan wrote .

"No way. (John) Madden was bigger than the game because of his contributions to it and his amazing personality. Smith is the opposite of that," added another.

"America unapologetically does not want this," echoed another X user.

"I like SAS but nah his talent is better utilized in the basketball space," someone added .

According to McCarthy, Smith is also in the midst of lucrative contract talks with the four-letter network.

"As he negotiates for a contract extension, Smith is aiming to become the highest-paid on-air talent at ESPN, surpassing Aikman’s $18 million-per-year payout," McCarthy reported. "If he scores a long-term deal worth $20 million a year or more, he could become ESPN’s first $100 million talent."

Smith, who is most well-know for his NBA acumen, began his career as a reporter and general sports columnist for some notable outlets including the New York Daily News and Philadelphia Inquirer.

He also regularly discusses the NFL on ESPN's hit morning debate show "First Take" and on his podcast "The Stephen A. Smith Show."

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