Stephen A. Smith denied he was criticizing fellow ESPN host Pat McAfee when he said the previous NFL punter is allowed to be not “as polished” in relation to his political opinions because he’s white.
Smith, the “First Take” host, defended his comment, saying that “the principles are different” for African Americans in media.
“Did you expect me to apologize for that?” Smith said on his podcast, “The Stephen A. Smith Show,” on Thursday.
“I wasn’t talking about Pat McAfee.”
Smith was asked about McAfee during an appearance earlier this week on the “Bussin’ With The Boys” podcast.
“I like Pat McAfee, love him to death. I like his swag; I like the proven fact that he’s an honest brother. He don’t give a s–t…That’s my type of dude,” Smith said on the podcast.
“That works for me. Now, is he as polished politically as me? Nope, because he has no desire to be….”
Smith said that “if we’re being honest, he’s white, and I’m black” so “he doesn’t need to be as polished.”
“I needed to be. So I get all that, and I’m not knocking him for it.”
The Post has sought comment from McAfee and ESPN.
McAfee has sparked controversy following interviews on his show with Latest York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who used a Jan. 2 appearance to imply that ABC late-night host Jimmy Kimmel’s name was in some way linked to an inventory of associates of convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
Rodgers, who has not been shy about sounding off on sensitive subjects during his regular appearances on McAfee’s show, denied he implied the comic was a pedophile and condemned those that did, but he stopped in need of apologizing.
Kimmel blasted Rodgers and threatened to file a lawsuit.
The confrontation between Kimmel and Rodgers also brought some tension between McAfee and ESPN.
McAfee accused Norby Williamson, ESPN’s head of event and studio production, of attempting to “sabotage” his program and claimed Williamson had no respect for him.
ESPN, which is owned by ABC parent Disney, said it will handle McAfee’s comments internally.
McAfee is in the primary yr of a five-year, $85 million agreement where ESPN licenses his self-produced show.
That deal was announced last May and McAfee’s show debuted on ESPN last September.
McAfee’s $17 million-a-year ESPN deal eclipses the $12 million annual wage earned by Smith, who has voiced frustration up to now that the network has underpaid him given the rankings he generates on “First Take” and the all-sports channel’s coverage of the NBA.
Smith has insisted that he isn’t envious of McAfee’s reported salary. Quite the opposite, Smith has said he has McAfee to thank for “setting the market” and paving the best way for a much bigger payday down the road.
With Post Wires