Shannon Sharpe joining 'First Take' alongside Stephen A. Smith this fall, per report

2025-04-20 10:17:44 source: category:My

Shannon Sharpe is ready to give his "First Take."

The Pro Football Hall of Famer will be joining the ESPN morning show this fall, squaring off against Stephen A. Smith, the New York Post reported.

USA TODAY Sports has reached out to ESPN for comment.

Sharpe's deal with ESPN will have him as a guest on the show on Mondays and Tuesdays during the NFL season, the Post reported. It comes more than two months after he hosted his last episode of the FS1 show "Undisputed" alongside Skip Bayless. Since leaving the show, Sharpe has been vocal about his desire to join Smith on "First Take," telling USA TODAY Sports it would be "great" to be a guest on the show. Smith also previously said he wanted Sharpe on the show.

The date of Sharpe's first show this year was not revealed. The New York Post also reported Sharpe is expected to soon find a landing spot for his "Club Shay Shay" podcast.

'First Take' hosts

Smith and Molly Qerim have been regulars on the show since Qerim became the full-time host in 2015. After Bayless left ESPN in 2016, Max Kellerman became a show regular for six years before he left the show, as Smith said it "was not a great partnership anymore" between the two.

Since then, "First Take" has had a rotation of guests debate Smith, including Chris "Mad Dog" Russo, JJ Redick and Dan Orlovsky.

Sharpe had previously been on "First Take" prior to his time on "Undisputed."

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