“Stephen A. Smith Wants to Fire Him”: NFL Fans React After Dan Orlovsky’s Joke on Shannon Sharpe Gets Taken the Wrong Way

Everyone knows that Stephen A. Smith played a key role in getting Shannon Sharpe on First Take after his breakup with Skip Bayless. SAS may not have been directly involved in the contract negotiations, but he was the one who ultimately announced Sharpe’s arrival to the show. The two always interact with each other with the utmost respect.

That’s why, when Dan Orlovsky made a funny jab at Sharpe live during a show, Stephen A. immediately clapped back and defended his buddy — although it was a tad too intense.

Let’s add some context: Stephen A. and Sharpe have always seemed to have a positive working relationship when they’re on air together. Despite occasional disagreements over the years, they appear to work through them and often travel to events together. However, while Stephen A. and Sharpe are close, Orlovsky is not. In fact, Dan and SAS frequently get into arguments on the show.

This brings us to Monday’s episode of First Take. Molly Qerim introduced Sharpe and prompted him to speak, but when he did, nothing came through. Sharpe was experiencing an audio glitch. That’s when Orlovsky chimed in with a cheeky joke.

“That is the best part of the show so far!” Orlovsky exclaimed, clapping. He seemed to be having a good time too, enjoying the silence on Sharpe’s end. But that’s when Stephen A. defended his co-host.

“Watch your mouth. Watch your mouth, Dan Orlovsky,” Stephen A. said, pointing to the camera.

The quote almost came off as a threat to Orlovsky. But he didn’t seem to care. He continued to laugh and enjoy the moment, while Qerim tried to navigate the chaos.

Shannon Sharpe had some brief audio issues on today’s ‘First Take.’

Dan Orlovsky: “That’s the best part of the show so far.”

Stephen A. Smith: “Watch your mouth. Watch your mouth, Dan Orlovsky.” pic.twitter.com/lvIRwWm7ZU

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) April 14, 2025

Fans quickly picked up on the interaction and took to X to share their reactions. Some felt that Stephen A. seemed like he was ready to fire Orlovsky over some of the former QB’s other hot takes.

“Smith wants to fire him because he compared [Shedeur] Sanders to Tua [Tagovailoa] and prime called it in,” one user wrote.

Smith wants to fire him because he compared saunders to tua and prime called it in

— Joseph Torre (@Jtorre24) April 14, 2025

Others couldn’t believe Stephen A. and his lack of a sense of humor. 

“Stephen A can’t take a joke. Come on man,” they wrote. “He was joking. I don’t understand why he got so upset,” another responded.

One person even commended Orlovsky for not reacting to Stephen A. and his shenanigans. “Rare Dan W,” they penned.

All in all, Orlovsky was clearly just joking and didn’t mean anything by his remark. He argues with Sharpe and Stephen A. so often that a bit of silence was probably refreshing. So, Stephen A. needs to chill out and stop trying to act tough.

Ever since Stephen A. had his conflict with LeBron James, he’s arguably adopted a tough guy persona. He’s appeared on various podcasts, portraying himself as the bigger man in the situation. At one point, he may have been as well.

However, his persistent effort to make a story out of the interaction has led the public to side with LeBron. After all, LeBron was simply a father defending his son, which is completely understandable.

That said, this is also where Stephen A. thrives. His whole approach revolves around provoking reactions and stirring the pot, which is exactly what he accomplished here. So, credit to him for that.