Molly Qerim is no longer the host of ESPN's First Take, as the long-time host addressed her departure from the show in an emotional statement on Tuesday. Stephen A. Smith later followed that up, claiming she "abruptly resigned" from her position.
After nearly 20 years at ESPN and a decade hosting First Take, Qerim's departure leaves a big opening for the network to fill. ESPN's bench is deep, but finding a replacement who can host one of its flagship shows could prove difficult.
Below are four options to fill the role, in no particular order, as all are worthy of the shot.
Peter Schrager
After leaving NFL Network for ESPN earlier in the year, Schrager has been a consistent presence on the air at the four-letter. He was a long-time co-host on Good Morning Football, so he's polished enough to lead a show from the No. 1 chair, and his deep NFL knowledge could lead to him mixing it up in debates on the panel. His affable personality fits the gig as well.
Schrager is now a regular on the show, so moving him over to the hosting chair isn't much of a stretch.
Courtney Cronin
The front angle of the Griddy footwork is much more convincing than the side view! This is what our top-tier WR convo devolved into🤣🤣🤣 @FirstTake @DavidDTSS @RealTannenbaum pic.twitter.com/mUErQ0eFJV
— Courtney Cronin (@CourtneyRCronin) July 10, 2025
A long-time NFL reporter, Cronin's profile has steadily grown at ESPN over the past few years. She became one of the better panelists on Around the Horn over the past few years, and she has made more regular appearances on First Take and SportsCenter recently.
Cronin is not afraid to mix it up on the debate shows, and her strong takes are backed by strong knowledge. She has the personality to conduct traffic on a show like First Take, and she may be the most natural fit on ESPN's roster.
Shae Peppler Cornette
.@shaepeppler doesn't believe the Jets can win the division without Haason Reddick 😳
— First Take (@FirstTake) August 13, 2024
"How could you think that you're going to go out and win the division without someone that's going to anchor your defense?" pic.twitter.com/LaEhHEl76U
Cornette has spent time filling in for Qerim on First Take and is currently a SportsCenter host. She has long hosted other ESPN programs on both TV and radio and has the polish to take the job. She anchored multiple editions of the ambitious SportsCenter: 50 States in 50 Days project this summer as well.
Clearly, ESPN trusts Cornette with some of its biggest projects, and she has emerged as one of the go-to fill-in hosts for Qerim. It feels like a seamless transition.
Christine Williamson
ESPN's Countdown to @CollegeGameDay is back for its fourth season w/ hosts @itsthebaldgirl @HDouglas83 and @harrylylesjr.
— bill hofheimer (@bhofheimer_espn) August 30, 2025
📱 Just underway now on YouTube, Facebook and the ESPN App pic.twitter.com/BXzHlaWWVs
Since joining ESPN in 2019, Williamson has steadily moved up the network's ladder and has hosted a slew of shows. She's most often on the 2 p.m. ET edition of SportsCenter, but has also been a host for Countdown to GameDay and has made appearances on Around the Horn. Yes, she has also guest-hosted First Take. She's a strong, polished broadcaster.
Williamson's profile continues to rise, and a full-time move to the First Take hosting chair would be a jump but one she could certainly handle.
Stephen A. Smith
If ESPN wanted to mix things up, it could get rid of the host role completely and allow its biggest star to lead proceedings. Stephen A. Smith could easily lead the show he's been the star of since 2012. While he's been a lead panelist for most of the show's history, he's the star and the center of attention. Allowing him to double up as the host wouldn't seem to be a stretch.
There are downsides here, as it's possible that too much of Stephen A. might wear on viewers. But it's an outside-the-box idea that some might enjoy.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Five Potential Replacements for Molly Qerim on 'First Take'.
