NFL Legend Thinks ESPN Superstar Should Be Suspended

NFL Hall of Fame wide receiver Terrell Owens has voiced his thoughts about ESPN’s face of the company, Stephen A. Smith, over his comment about Lane Johnson’s retirement.

After Johnson’s abrupt retirement from the Philadelphia Eagles and the NFL, citing physical and mental issues, Smith went on a rant questioning his retirement, dismissing his claims much to the panel’s discomfort. While he has since apologized and claims that the joke was never about Johnson’s mental health, many aren’t buying the apology, and Owens called for Smith’s suspension over the ordeal:

“Why isn’t he suspended? For him to speak so recklessly to a guy and then try to backtrack and say he’s had mental health issues. Then if you knew that, then you’re smart enough to not speak on something that’s affecting millions of people and is a very sensitive topic. But to feel like you have a microphone and a platform and be reckless with your words.”

Owens’ comments reflect the same mindset that many fans and media feel about the controversial analyst. The NFL is a brotherhood, and fellow players are going to step up for their guys, regardless of uniform or position, which Owens is defending. Fans and players alike are speaking out about mental health and how people are affected, and the care that should be taken, which is a great conversation to have. With the insensitivity of the comments, should Smith be suspended by Disney and ESPN?

To Smith’s credit, he has apologized, whether people are accepting it or not, but public opinion says something else. This isn’t Smith’s first controversy either, with the outspoken analysts casting a wider net and his hot-take style becoming more of a brand outside of sports. His reckless comments involving Johnson don’t just represent a football player wanting to step away; they represent the fragility of mental health and knowing how public words can have a major effect.

It should also be noted that it’s been a week. It’s far too late to suspend him.  If ESPN wanted to, they would’ve by now. While his statements were wrong and reckless, there was no language that led to someone being hurt or anything that endangered someone. So, by all accounts, an apology and a true discussion about mental health should be the route to go. As for fans who aren’t pleased with the statements, the better option is to turn off his programming. If you want change, you hold it in your hands, whether it’s YouTube or the remote.

Whether a suspension should or shouldn’t happen, don’t lose sight of the true importance of the situation: a man opening the conversation about how his mental health made him leave the game of football. If you’re struggling with mental health, reach out to someone and be open and vulnerable. Lane Johnson did that on a major stage, and he should be applauded for his honesty.