The US Sun

‘What are you doing?’ Stephen A. Smith baffled as First Take star refuses to sit down during chaotic opening sequence

By Jim Sheridan,

2 hours ago

ESPN analyst Damien Woody was in no mood to relax during Thursday’s edition of First Take.

The former NFL star left co-star Stephen A. Smith baffled as he refused to take his seat at the start of the show.

Woody was joined in the ESPN New York studios by fellow analyst Kimberley A. Martin and host Molly Qerim .

Smith called in remotely from an “unknown location” as he boasted about his exotic green screen backdrop.

But he quickly noticed Woody was standing up from his chair as Qerim introduced the panel.

“What you standing up for Woody?” Stephen A. asked as Martin began to laugh.

“Why ain’t you sitting down?”

“Why the hell you not in the studio right now?” fired back Woody.

“You should be here looking at me eye to eye.”

Woody had just completed a two-hour stint alongside Martin on First Take ‘s sister show Get Up .

And the two-time Super Bowl champion claimed he was ecstatic after having one of his “all-time great shows” just moments earlier.

“I’m feeling very juiced, I’m feeling ready,” he roared.

“Damn it, I don’t feel like sitting down. I’m good!”

Woody’s antics came after he made a divisive Super Bowl pick during the Get Up broadcast.

Asked to pick his Vince Lombardi winners, Woody wielded a mallet as he smashed tiny helmets representing various NFL teams.

He eventually left one intact, with the Detroit Lions his pick to win Super Bowl LIX next season.

First Take went from strength to strength under the guidance of Stephen A. Smith and Molly Qerim last year.

The weekday ESPN debate show averaged 496,000 viewers in 2023 – making it the most-watched year in program history.

Its December average of 611,000 was a 24% year-on-year increase compared to 2022.

The show also reported more than 250 million views on YouTube.

First Take was helped by the addition of Shannon Sharpe alongside Smith and Qerim after he left Fox Sports’ Undisputed.

“It’s time!” Woody said as host Mike Greenberg audibly gasped.

“I wouldn’t be mad at it,” replied one ESPN viewer on X .

“Love it someone other then Kansas City,” added another.

“Lions will never win a Super Bowl because they are the Lions,” countered a third.

Following a summer of scheduling chaos and personnel changes, First Take has seen the return of its big stars in recent days.

Stephen A. turned heads on Wednesday as he debuted a garish pink suit ahead of the new college football season .

The 56-year-old paired a crisp white shirt with a matching tie to go with his colorful blazer.

But it didn’t go down too well with other members of the panel.

“You look like a forgotten member of The Temptations,” quipped Martin.

It came just a day after he sat in for an absent Molly as host of the show, with fans jokingly dubbing him a “dictator.”