Following a nearly month-long hiatus from the show, Molly Qerim and Stephen A. Smith are back on the debate program, though Shannon Sharpe was absent.
It was late last month when Qerim and Stephen A. last appeared on First Take. The duo took time off after the conclusion of the 2024-25 NBA season.
On Monday, Qerim and Smith made a surprise appearance on First Take. Smith joined remotely, while Qerim was present at the new Hudson Square studios. It had recently been reported that they would return to the show just before the 2025-26 NFL season kicks off.
Training camp for all teams starts this week. Fans expressed their excitement over their return to the morning show through social media.
Qerim was joined by star analyst and former NFL player Ryan Clark, along with other personalities like Andrew Hawkins and Mike Tannenbaum. Nonetheless, the NFL star Sharpe was still absent from the program.
Sharpe has been away from ESPN since April following allegations of sexual assault in a lawsuit. The lawsuit, filed by an individual referred to only as Jane Doe, accused Sharpe of manipulation, physical assault, and sexual assault.
