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Stephen A. Smith seems ready to reunite with another one of his former sparring partners — Shannon Sharpe.
Stephen A. Smith Wants ESPN Reunion With Shannon Sharpe
The ESPN superstar recently joined Memphis Grizzlies legends Zach Randolph and Tony Allen on their Out The Mud podcast. And was asked about Sharpe’s departure from the network in 2025. And he was blunt about being interested in a reunion with his former First Take co-host.
“I’m always going to want him back. The company knows I want him back,” Smith said during his appearance (via Awful Announcing).
Smith acknowledged that as the executive producer of ESPN’s flagship, he does have some say-so. But he doesn’t have the final say-so. So whether or not Sharpe returns ultimately lies in the hands of his superiors at the network.
“Now, y’all going to do what y’all got to do because I’m the executive producer, but I’m not an executive VP of the company. I have bosses to answer to. They have to make that decision,” he said. “But they already know I want him back. If we can get him back, I want him back, I ain’t apologizing for that to nobody. He was great for me. And he was great to me, and I’m not gonna forget that. He was great for the show.”
Sharpe was terminated from ESPN in 2025 amid his legal issues with OnlyFans model, Gabrille Zuniga. Zuniga accused Sharpe of sexual assault in a $50 million lawsuit filed earlier this year. In July, Sharpe and Zuniga settled. And while the settlement amount has yet to be confirmed, what she received was enough for her to announce her retirement from OnlyFans.
