Stephen A. Smith has been one of the most prominent sports media personalities for years. As a leading analyst for ESPN, he’s also become one of the top-ten highest-paid sports analysts in the world. However, not everybody likes Stephen A. In fact, many despise him for his yelling, over-the-top behavior, and wild sports takes. Despite all of this, he’s still considered one of the best. In a hilarious analogy, Stephen A. compared the way people treat him to how everyone reacts to Patrick Mahomes, which left Molly Qerim doing a spit-take.
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Mahomes has long received hate for being a great player and winning all of the time. Casual fans like parity and change in their Super Bowl winners, and Mahomes being on the verge of a three-peat has everyone viewing him like the devil. It’s something Stephen A. said that he can relate to.
The conversation started when Louis Riddick, on First Take, asked the panel why people find the Chiefs and Mahomes so annoying. Dan Orlovsky quickly retorted, citing their constant winning. But Riddick pushed back, noting that Mahomes stays out of trouble and added that he was confused by the villain narrative. Stephen A. then responded bluntly, offering his own perspective:
“Listen, I would know something about that. I’m considered one of the most annoying people on television, why do you think that is? So, I certainly can relate.”
The response had the entire crew in stitches before Stephen A. could finish his thought. Molly Qerim was laughing so hard that she literally spit out her water. Orlovsky paused the discussion to point out how wild it was that Molly broke character while handing out paper towels.
“I spit up straight out of my mouth!” Molly said while laughing profusely. “I apologize, America. Oh my gosh, Stephen A. and I have never gotten along more. Oh my goodness, that was hilarious!”
Stephen A Smith compared himself to Patrick Mahomes, saying they both annoy people with their greatness… ☠️☠️☠️☠️pic.twitter.com/sW1AqTM3y9
— JPAFootball (@jasrifootball) February 4, 2025
The funny thing is, Stephen A. is spot on. He reshaped the sports media landscape with his “hot takes” and larger-than-life personality, for better or worse. People either love him or hate him, but one thing remains constant: his stories get clicks, his clips are watched, and his influence keeps growing. It’s the same with Mahomes.
Some people love him, and some hate him. Yet, one thing doesn’t change: people talk about Mahomes, even his annoyances, and continue to prop him up as one of the greatest of all time.
“April, March, 13th consecutive year at number one,” Stephen A. proudly stated, reflecting on his current standing in the industry. “I mean, this is what we do! Damn right, and keep on hating because I’m gonna keep on winning.”
It was a hilarious analogy that had the studio laughing for nearly a minute. It highlights why Stephen A. is such a great analyst. He has off-the-cuff remarks like this that shift your perspective on a story. The analogy was also spot on—people love to hate the best of the best, and both Mahomes and Stephen A. are exactly that.
