Molly Qerim has left ESPN and First Take. Qerim appeared on Monday's edition of the show, but by the evening there was a story that she would be leaving her job at the end of the year. When Tuesday's episode of First Take rolled around, Qerim was gone and Stephen A. Smith announced her departure.
Smith had some more vague details about Qerim on his podcast later on Tuesday, telling viewers Qerim had "abruptly resigned," despite the fact that she was going through contract negotiations and that he and ESPN both wanted her back.
Stephen A just said Molly resigned from first take 😳 pic.twitter.com/B9FN7eKvoB
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) September 16, 2025
"Last night she abruptly resigned as the host of the show," said Smith. "And to say that I'm quite sad about it is an understatment. Molly is a friend. Molly is a co-worker. Molly is somebody that I have leaned on on many occassions in the past as she has done when it comes to me. We have been partrners on the show for the last 10 years and a lot of times some of these things happen and it's just uncomfortable to see. The details, quite frankly, are none of ya'll business, but it's not as if I know all the details. There was a contract negotation that was going on. ESPN certainly did not want to lose her, but in the end she made a decision to walk away from the show, effective immediately."
Both Qerim and ESPN released statements about the decision on Tuesday morning as well.
More on Sports Illustrated
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Molly Qerim ‘Abruptly Resigned’ From ‘First Take’ According to Stephen A. Smith.
