Stephen A. Smith admits he ‘didn’t like’ working with Max Kellerman on First Take and claims partnership failed because ex-colleague ‘wasn’t an athlete or journalist’

Stephen A. Smith has opened up about his bitter split from former First Take partner Max Kellerman, admitting: ‘I didn’t enjoy working with him.’

Kellerman was removed from the popular sports debate show in 2021, with Smith revealing last year that he had told ESPN executives to retain only one of them going forward.

The TV duo therefore parted ways shortly afterwards on rather acrimonious terms, calling time for a five-year stint together on the programme.

And more than two years after their split, Smith has reopened old wounds by targeting Kellerman, claiming the partnership failed because he “wasn’t an athlete or a journalist.”

During a performance op The Joe Budden Podcast, the 55-year-old said when asked about the tension between him and Kellerman before his departure, “I would take full responsibility for that.” It was completely my fault and the reason it was my fault is because I didn’t like working with him.

Stephen A. Smith has revealed his split from former First Take partner Max Kellerman

Smith and Kellerman spent five years together on the popular sports debate show

But Smith says he ‘didn’t enjoy’ working with his former partner and claims their on-screen relationship didn’t take off because he ‘wasn’t an athlete or a journalist’.

“I didn’t like working with him, man. It’s just so damn simple. I did not like it.

“I thought the show was stale, I thought we were flat when it came to the general public, and I’m trying to win.”

Smith later added, “You weren’t an athlete, and you weren’t a journalist, and the absence of those two components made people wonder, ‘Why should we listen to you?’

“Maybe you had already discovered that on Sports Nation, or maybe you had already discovered that on another show, but on this show, when you looked at the content that emerged from the social stratosphere, it was like I was doing the damn show by myself because we were very far apart in terms of cachet.

“How far apart are your oceans if you sit five meters across from me?”

After leaving First Take, Kellerman spent two more years at ESPN before being fired by the company in June.

Smith, meanwhile, remains a key member of the First Take panel, along with new addition Shannon Sharpe.

But there are no hard feelings toward Kellerman.

But he insists there are no hard feelings toward Kellerman, who was fired by ESPN this year

“I’ve been very honest and very consistent,” he continued. ‘There’s nothing personal. We were not enemies. To be honest, we haven’t spoken since, other than hello or bye, or if I had to go on the show and they were doing a morning show I would be interviewed.

“But there haven’t been any conversations since and I’m fine with that, it’s not a problem because it wasn’t like we were boys or anything.

“But at the end of the day, it was all about business for me and it was about, ‘Look man, I’m trying to win. And I don’t think I can win with you.’