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Stephen A. Smith might be the face of ESPN at this stage , but that doesn't mean he agrees with every decision the network makes.
Earlier this week, Smith announced a multiyear partnership with SiriusXM. Starting in September, he'll have a daily show on Mad Dog Sports Radio. The ESPN personality will also host a weekly "current events, pop culture and social commentary-focused show."
It was later revealed that Smith's show on Mad Dog Sports Radio will take over a timeslot currently occupied by Michelle Beadle and Cody Decker. Shortly after that was confirmed, Beadle ripped Smith in an interview with Front Office Sports.
Beadle's harsh comments led to a classy statement from Smith, who said he never planned on stabbing people in the back.
"I want to state for the record just so everyone knows what kind of man I am and what kind of teammate I am. I had no idea that folks did not know. I was told by SiriusXM to wait until this morning on The Howard Stern Show to make the announcement. Whatever communication they had with anybody who’s there, where they’re staying, where they’re being moved to. Who’s staying, who’s going or whatever. It’s none of my business," Smith said, via Awful Announcing.
"But let me be very, very clear. It would always be my concern because I would never in a million years be unprofessional and inconsiderate of a contemporary or a colleague. If somebody was not made aware of my arrival, meaning the people that directly would be impacted by my arrival on SiriusXM, it is something that I would have made sure of. So I just want to let anybody out there who was listening, along with you all know, I’m proud to be back. I’m happy to be back and be part of the team. But that operative word is team. The people I work with are my teammates. And I don’t do stuff like that."
Smith isn't wrong about taking a team approach to his profession.
Back in March, the "First Take" analyst spoke to Robert Griffin III. The former NFL quarterback was laid off by ESPN in August 2024.
Smith let Griffin know that he wanted him to stick around at ESPN.
"First of all let me state for the record, at 'First Take,' you did a hell of a job. Secondly, I think you are a talent on the airwaves," Smith said. "I don't know why others haven't gobbled you up. Number 3, I didn't want you gone. I said that too."
Fans don't have to adore Smith's content, but it certainly sounds like he vouches for his teammates at ESPN.
More must-reads:
- Why did the Orioles activate star player during last week of season?
- Patriots have Drake Maye concern after comments by Steelers LB T.J. Watt
- The 'Multiple 30-TD pass NFL seasons' quiz
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Badgers’ Staff Completes Flip of Strong Former 2026 Oregon State Commitment
The Wisconsin Badgers may have some struggles that are present on the field, but off the field the staff continues to secure recruiting wins. 2026 three-star cornerback Donovan Dunmore, an Oregon State commitment, had been closely tied to Wisconsin for the past two months before officially setting up a game-day visit for the stripe-out against Maryland. Dunmore landed on campus and left the experience impressed with the staff and how the environment made the cornerback feel wanted despite the loss on the field. Previously, Dunmore committed to Oregon State for a variety of reasons, but one of the most important involved the family-like feel the program provided the cornerback. Dunmore felt at home with the Beavers between the scholarship offer, the willingness to get a visit done, and how the staff saw the cornerback fitting into the future. Now, however, the Badgers are the program who managed to do so with persistence after maintaining very close contact with the recruit. Wisconsin Badgers Flip Donovan Dunmore Away From Oregon State Following Official Visit Dunmore joins the 2026 Wisconsin class at a perfect time after former three-star safety commitment Zachary Taylor flipped his commitment to TCU months ago. Since the flip, Wisconsin has been on the hunt for a replacement and after discovering Dunmore, the Badgers realized another scheme fit like the California native will not be found. Dunmore is 6-feet tall, and roughly 185-pounds with a great burst of speed and a surprisingly physical play style on the field. The cornerback does not back down from fights against receivers and consistently manages to make mid-air plays thanks to his extreme concentration. In addition to being a quick and physical cornerback, Dunmore also possesses great field vision and a developing feel for his position on the field. Dunmore often reacts well and manages to put himself into a position to make a play or prevent the play from developing into something greater. The defensive back is still learning and can be caught out of position at times, but given his current skills Dunmore has the potential to be a tough defensive back to compete against. The best aspect of play for Dunmore is easily his tackling abilities which are often put to the test against his opponents. Dunmore is a strong, capable tackler who can work through blockers to make a stop in the run game when needed, especially when being blocked by opposing receivers. In the open field, escaping Dunmore is difficult considering his speed, vision, and ability to wrap-up when tackling. The talented defensive back is not someone who is expected to make an impact right away, but with a year of technical development at the position, Dunmore could certainly find his ways onto the collegiate field in an impactful way.
Buccaneers' Baker Mayfield drops harsh quote about former coach after win
Quarterback Baker Mayfield was forced to lead a game-winning drive against the New York Jets after a blocked field goal returned for a touchdown took away a chance for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to ice the game at 29-20 with less than two minutes to play. With 1:49 remaining in the fourth quarter, Mayfield engineered a seven-play, 48-yard drive that ended in a successful 36-yard field goal attempt by kicker Chase McLaughlin to give the Buccaneers a 3-0 start with a 29-27 win over the Jets in front of 62,872 fans at Raymond James Stadium. What Buccaneers' Baker Mayfield had to say about former coach Following the game, Mayfield said he felt vindicated by beating New York, especially defensive coordinator Steve Wilks, who cut the former first-round pick (after using him as a scout-team defensive lineman) when he was the interim head coach of the Carolina Panthers in 2022. “I loved it," Mayfield said of beating the Jets via Ari Meirov of the 33rd Team. "Their D-coordinator (Steve Wilks) was the one who cut me in Carolina. A lot of stuff was personal today. Haason Reddick. Former Jet. A lot of people.” The loss dropped Wilks and first-year head coach Aaron Glenn to 0-3. The Jets fought hard with backup quarterback Tyrod Taylor filling in for Justin Fields, who is still in the concussion protocol from Week 2. Mayfield didn't impress Wilks during his time in Carolina, but he showed the defensive coordinator why he's worthy to be a starter in the league. Mayfield went 19-of-29 passing for 233 yards and one touchdown on Sunday. He added 44 yards rushing on four carries against Wilks' defense.
Bills' Josh Allen could be in some hot water with the NFL for what he was caught doing during the Week 3 win vs. Dolphins
The Buffalo Bills defeated the Miami Dolphins on 'Thursday Night Football' to remain undefeated on the season. With losses by the New England Patriots and New York Jets on Sunday, the Bills sit atop the division with a showdown against the New Orleans Saints in Week 4. While quarterback Josh Allen didn't put on his Superman cape with more than 400 yards of total offense, he was methodical and surgical, cutting through the Dolphins' defense en route to yet another victory over the divisional rivals. Allen made history in the contest, becoming the fastest player to reach 300 career touchdowns, including the postseason, but it wasn't all good news coming out of One Bills Drive in the victory. After taking a hit from Dolphins linebacker Jordyn Brooks that resulted in a penalty and gave Buffalo a first down, Allen appeared to make a finger-gun gesture immediately after. While it may seem harmless, it's one of the biggest points of emphasis from the NFL heading into the season. Allen wasn't even flagged on the play, but that doesn't mean that the league won't come down on him for the celebration. Fast facts about Josh Allen's previous NFL fines 2019 - fined $7,017 for throwing the ball into the stands against the Miami Dolphins. 2021 - fined $15,000 after flicking the ball at a Kansas City Chiefs defender after a sack 2023 - fined $10,927 for pointing at a Cincinnati Bengals defender during a touchdown run The NFL is taking a hard stance on gun-related celebrations The NFL has expressed its intention to limit unsportsmanlike gestures during the game, specifically those that include shooting or brandishing a gun. NFL officiating rules analyst Walt Anderson opened up on the new initiative in August. "Unsportsmanlike gestures like simulating or either shooting a gun or brandishing a gun, or inappropriate gestures like a throat slash, or unfortunate sexual gestures, those were up 133% so that is a point of emphasis." - Walt Anderson According to CBS Sports, Falcons wide receiver Drake London was fined $14,069 for appearing to shoot a large gun, New York Jets receiver Allen Lazard was fined the same amount after getting a first down in Week 4 of the 2024 season, and Bengals receiver Ja'Marr Chase was fined $19,697 for appearing to unholster a gun in a touchdown celebration last season as well. If Allen is fined, the NFL would need to make the official announcement along with its reasoning by Saturday, Sept. 27.
Steelers Could Be Planning To Use Week 5 Bye As An Opportunity To Make Unexpected Trade
The Pittsburgh Steelers improved to 2-1 after defeating the New England Patriots by a score of 21-14 in Week 3 of the 2025 NFL season. It has appeared as if Aaron Rodgers still has some game left at 41 years old, but the box score on Sunday didn't exactly instill confidence from an outside observer. He was only able to throw for 139 yards in the contest and the offense as a whole was only able to muster up 203 total yards. The unit will be facing a tough test in Week 4 when the team plays against the Minnesota Vikings in Ireland. The long-term plan for the Steelers at quarterback is a bit of a mystery. The organization could draft a signal-caller in 2026, or let Mason Rudolph and Will Howard compete for the job in training camp. The latter seems unlikely, given the fact that franchises need a dominant force playing quarterback to win, and neither of the options under contract for 2026 have proven themselves as much as fans would have liked. The fourth piece to the puzzle currently is Skylar Thompson. The former seventh-round pick showcased his talents in the preseason, and ended up putting plenty of good film on tape. He was one of the better signal-callers throughout the league during the exhibition period, and should have no business being an organization's fourth option. With Howard and Thompson both currently on Injured Reserve (IR), a decision is going to have to be made in the coming weeks about what to do with the emergency quarterback spot on game days. The Steelers are known for not holding onto more than three quarterbacks, so it's very possible that Thompson ends up getting released when, and if, all four players are healthy at the same time. After Pittsburgh's Week 4 matchup overseas, the team will have an early bye in Week 5. This will allow guys to get healthy, but also provide a unique opportunity to explore additions, or subtractions from the roster. Franchises have already experienced quarterback injury issues early on in 2025, and by the time Thompson is healthy, a decision could be made to deal him for a late-round draft selection. There's no guarantee that the Steelers would find a trade partner for Thompson, but as long as he is fully healthy, he's definitely someone to shop around. He is highly likely never going to see the field in Pittsburgh, but has some value because of how well he played during the preseason. Unfortunately for the Steelers, it doesn't make sense to part ways with a rookie while keeping someone else who is on a one-year deal. While Thompson won't be able to return to action until Week 7 (because the bye week does not count when a player is on IR) there is precedent to trade him anyway. The Patriots just traded Ja'Lynn Polk to the New Orleans Saints despite the receiver being on season-ending IR. Thompson's situation is a bit different, as he should be expected to return in 2025. Any team inquiring would need to be confident that he is fully healthy, because his 21-day window would need to be activated upon any deal. General Manager Omar Khan could be interested in getting yet another draft pick for 2026 if another organization throughout the league needs quarterback help. Steelers Hoping To Keep Rodgers Healthy All Season Pittsburgh's offensive line performed better in Week 3, but there is still a long way to go for the unit. While the other three quarterbacks don't necessarily matter for on-field play in games, the 41-year-old in Rodgers could be one hit away from the Steelers' signal-caller situation drastically changing. Overall, Thompson is at the bottom of the list, and could get traded soon if he is almost fully recovered from his injury.
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