One wouldn't think there was much more television real estate on ESPN's airwaves that Stephen A. Smith can possibly occupy, but network president Jimmy Pitaro doesn't agree. There is a very real chance that the First Take star could expand his role in ESPN's NFL coverage.
On top of his First Take duties, Smith is a major part of the network's NBA coverage, joining NBA Countdown in 2021. He also pops up across ESPN's daytime programming, including Get Up and SportsCenter, and has bolstered his public brand with his eponymous podcast, which veers into news and pop culture, regular appearances on a range of political talk shows and even his occasional foray into acting and flirtation with running for public office.
Even so, Pitaro believes there is room for more Stephen A., especially on the football side of things. In an interview with Front Office Sports, he notes that those within the NFL are fans of Smith, lending to the idea that he could show up on football-specific programming. He was cautious in saying that he didn't want to bump his football talent out of opportunities, but this is a pretty clear indication that Smith could show up on shows like NFL Live and the various football editions of Countdown.
"We are very open to Stephen getting more involved on the NFL," said Pitaro. "We’ve had some exploratory conversations with him. We know that the league really likes Stephen. So there could be something to do there. That being said, we’re really happy with what we have in terms of NFL Live, Sunday [NFL] Countdown, Monday Night Countdown. We feel like we’re in a good spot right now. But there’s always room for someone like Stephen.”
ESPN has been steadily scaling up its football coverage, most recently bringing back former SportsCenter anchor and longtime NFL Network personality Rich Eisen, who will broadcast The Rich Eisen Show on the network's streaming and direct-to-consumer platforms. ESPN legend Chris Berman also recently reupped with the network that he joined in 1979, just a month after it launched.
Whether football fans like it or not, Smith is the face of the network right now, and it is no surprise that he'll become even more involved in its expanding NFL coverage in some form.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as ESPN President Says Stephen A. Smith's Role Covering NFL Could Expand Even Further.
