History of Stephen A. Smith in Timeline
Stephen A. Smith is a prominent American sports analyst, television personality, radio host, and actor. He's best known for his work with ESPN, where he provides NBA analysis on shows like SportsCenter, NBA Countdown, and First Take. He has also hosted his own radio show and contributes as a columnist for ESPN and The Philadelphia Inquirer. Smith is a well-recognized and often outspoken figure in the world of sports media.
October 14, 1967: Stephen A. Smith Born
On October 14, 1967, Stephen Anthony Smith, known as Stephen A., was born. He is an American television personality, radio host, sports analyst, and actor.
1986: High School Graduation
In 1986, Stephen A. Smith graduated from Thomas Edison High School in Queens.
1991: College Graduation
In 1991, Stephen A. Smith graduated from Winston-Salem State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in mass communication.
1992: Brother's Death
In 1992, Stephen A. Smith's older brother, Basil, tragically passed away in a car accident.
1994: Joined The Philadelphia Inquirer
In 1994, Stephen A. Smith began working as a writer for The Philadelphia Inquirer, where he covered the Philadelphia 76ers and later became a general sports columnist.
1999: Television Career Began on CNN/SI
In 1999, Stephen A. Smith started his television career on the now-defunct cable network CNN/SI.
2004: Comments on Hockey
Around 2004, Stephen A. Smith made comments about hockey, often stating he knew nothing about the sport and incorrectly claiming tie games still existed, despite being from the New York metropolitan area with three hockey teams.
April 11, 2005: Hosted Radio Show on WEPN
On April 11, 2005, Stephen A. Smith began hosting a radio show on WEPN in New York City.
August 2005: Hosted 'Quite Frankly with Stephen A. Smith' on ESPN
In August 2005, Stephen A. Smith began hosting a daily hour-long show on ESPN called Quite Frankly with Stephen A. Smith.
January 2007: 'Quite Frankly' Cancelled
In January 2007, Stephen A. Smith's show 'Quite Frankly with Stephen A. Smith' was cancelled, leading him to concentrate on basketball analysis for ESPN.
February 2, 2007: Acting Debut on General Hospital
On February 2, 2007, Stephen A. Smith made his acting debut on the ABC soap opera General Hospital, appearing as a television reporter.
August 23, 2007: Demoted at The Philadelphia Inquirer
On August 23, 2007, The Philadelphia Inquirer announced Stephen A. Smith would no longer write columns and was demoted to general assignment reporter.
September 20, 2007: Shift in Radio Show Time Slot
On September 20, 2007, Stephen A. Smith's radio show was moved to the 2-4 p.m. slot, with the second hour broadcast nationally on ESPN Radio.
2007: Acted in 'I Think I Love My Wife'
In 2007, Stephen A. Smith appeared in the Chris Rock film I Think I Love My Wife.
April 2008: End of Radio Show on WEPN
In April 2008, Stephen A. Smith's radio show on WEPN came to an end as he pursued television opportunities.
2008: Departure from The Philadelphia Inquirer and Blog Launch
In 2008, Stephen A. Smith's relationship with The Philadelphia Inquirer ended, coinciding with the launch of his own blog, stephena.com.
April 17, 2009: Departure from ESPN Announced
On April 17, 2009, Stephen A. Smith announced his departure from ESPN, which was set for May 1, 2009.
May 1, 2009: Left ESPN
On May 1, 2009, Stephen A. Smith officially left ESPN.
November 2009: Joined Fox Sports Radio
In November 2009, Stephen A. Smith became an on-air contributor to Fox Sports Radio and broke the news of Allen Iverson's retirement.
2009: Described Himself as Independent
In 2009, Stephen A. Smith described himself as an independent.
January 4, 2010: Hosted Fox Sports Radio Morning Show
On January 4, 2010, Stephen A. Smith became the host of a Fox Sports Radio morning show.
February 2010: Return to The Philadelphia Inquirer
In February 2010, Stephen A. Smith returned to The Philadelphia Inquirer after winning an arbitrator's ruling, agreeing to remove political views from his website and cable news appearances.
February 1, 2011: Returned to ESPN
On February 1, 2011, Stephen A. Smith returned to ESPN as a columnist for ESPN.com and host of local radio shows on 1050 ESPN Radio New York and 710 ESPN Radio Los Angeles.
2011: Became FSR NBA Insider
In early 2011, Stephen A. Smith became a resident FSR NBA insider and ended his morning show.
April 24, 2012: Left LA 710 ESPN
On April 24, 2012, Stephen A. Smith left LA 710 ESPN.
April 30, 2012: Joined First Take Full-Time
On April 30, 2012, it was announced that Stephen A. Smith would be joining First Take on a permanent, five-days-per-week basis under the show's new "Embrace Debate" format, alongside Skip Bayless.
May 2012: Started the Stephen A. Smith & Ryan Ruocco Show
In May 2012, Stephen A. Smith replaced Robin Lundberg alongside Ryan Ruocco and debuted the Stephen A. Smith & Ryan Ruocco Show on 98.7 WEPN.
2013: Left ESPN for Sirius XM Radio
In 2013, Stephen A. Smith left ESPN to join Chris Russo's Mad Dog Sports Channel on Sirius XM Radio.
July 25, 2014: Controversial Remarks on First Take
On July 25, 2014, Stephen A. Smith made controversial remarks on First Take about women and domestic abuse, concerning the Ray Rice situation.
July 29, 2014: Suspended by ESPN
On July 29, 2014, Stephen A. Smith was suspended by ESPN for a week due to his controversial remarks.
August 6, 2014: Return to ESPN After Suspension
On August 6, 2014, Stephen A. Smith returned to ESPN after serving a one-week suspension.
2014: Appeared in Oberto Beef Jerky Commercials
Beginning in 2014, Stephen A. Smith has appeared in a series of Oberto all-natural beef jerky commercials as "The Little Voice in Your Stomach", alongside various sports figures.
2014: Eagles release DeSean Jackson
In 2014, Philadelphia Eagles' head coach Chip Kelly released wide receiver DeSean Jackson.
2014: Signed Multi-Year Deal with ESPN
In late 2014, Stephen A. Smith signed a multi-year deal with ESPN, earning over $3 million per year.
March 9, 2015: Comments on Chip Kelly and Eagles Roster Moves
On March 9, 2015, Stephen A. Smith commented on First Take about Philadelphia Eagles' head coach Chip Kelly's roster moves, suggesting that some decisions made a few brothers feel uncomfortable.
May 8, 2015: McCoy's Comments on Kelly
On May 8, 2015, LeSean McCoy admitted in an interview with ESPN The Magazine that he believed some of Chip Kelly's roster moves were racially motivated.
June 11, 2015: Criticism for Comments on Female Soccer Players
On June 11, 2015, Stephen A. Smith received criticism for joking about female soccer players' hair during a SportsCenter segment on the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup.
March 31, 2016: Appeared as Brick on General Hospital
On March 31, 2016, Stephen A. Smith appeared as Brick on General Hospital, and has made guest appearances in the role every year since.
November 5, 2016: Joined Top Rank Broadcasting Team
On November 5, 2016, Stephen A. Smith joined Top Rank's broadcasting team for the Manny Pacquiao vs. Jessie Vargas boxing pay-per-view event.
January 17, 2017: Returned to ESPN from Sirius XM
On January 17, 2017, Stephen A. Smith moved from Sirius XM's Mad Dog Sports channel back to ESPN, with his daily program heard on WEPN, KSPN, and Sirius XM's ESPN channel.
August 2017: Criticism of Zach Randolph
In August 2017, Stephen A. Smith criticized NBA player Zach Randolph, who was arrested for possession of marijuana with the intent to sell. Smith has been known for his outspoken stance on athletes using marijuana, and he often tells them to "Stay off the weed!"
2017: Wearing Aaron Rodgers' Jersey on First Take
In 2017, Stephen A. Smith wore Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers' jersey on two occasions on First Take. Once it was after the Dallas Cowboys' elimination at the hands of the Packers, and once during a special taping of First Take from Dallas where Smith received boos from the live crowd.
2018: "Stay off the weed!" line at First Take taping
In 2018, after J. R. Smith's blunder in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, Stephen A. Smith jokingly delivered his "Stay off the weed!" line at a live First Take taping in Oakland. The outburst garnered applause from the audience and his First Take co-hosts.
May 2019: Criticism of D'Angelo Russell
In May 2019, Stephen A. Smith criticized NBA player D'Angelo Russell, who was cited for marijuana possession inside his luggage at New York's LaGuardia Airport. Smith has been known for his outspoken stance on athletes using marijuana, and he often tells them to "Stay off the weed!"
December 11, 2019: Disclosure of Two Daughters
On December 11, 2019, Stephen A. Smith disclosed in an interview with GQ that he has two daughters.
2019: New ESPN Contract and UFC Commentator Role
In 2019, Stephen A. Smith signed a new contract with ESPN worth approximately $60 million over five years and became a UFC commentator.
2020: Academy Awards After-Party Commentator
In 2020, Stephen A. Smith served as a commentator for the after-party coverage of the 92nd Academy Awards on ABC.
June 10, 2021: Entered Soccer Coverage Space
On June 10, 2021, Stephen A. Smith ventured into soccer coverage, selecting a Euro 2020 team.
June 14, 2021: "Ain't No Way" Soccer Segment
On June 14, 2021, Stephen A. Smith followed up his Euro 2020 team selection with another soccer segment called "Ain't No Way".
June 2021: Criticism of Alex Caruso
In June 2021, Stephen A. Smith criticized NBA player Alex Caruso, who was arrested in Texas for marijuana possession. Smith has been known for his outspoken stance on athletes using marijuana, and he often tells them to "Stay off the weed!"
2021: Expanded Hockey Coverage on ESPN
In 2021, following ESPN's acquisition of NHL broadcasting rights, Stephen A. Smith began discussing hockey more frequently on First Take and Stephen A.’s World. He roasted the Edmonton Oilers and equated the Toronto Maple Leafs’ playoff failures to the Dallas Cowboys’.
2022: Expanded Hockey Coverage on ESPN
In 2022, following ESPN's acquisition of NHL broadcasting rights, Stephen A. Smith continued discussing hockey more frequently on First Take and Stephen A.’s World. He roasted the Edmonton Oilers and equated the Toronto Maple Leafs’ playoff failures to the Dallas Cowboys’.
November 7, 2024: Considered Running for President in 2028
On November 7, 2024, following the 2024 United States presidential election, Stephen A. Smith stated he would consider running for president in 2028 if he had a reasonable chance of victory.
2024: Voting for Kamala Harris and Criticism of DEI Policies
In 2024, Stephen A. Smith announced he voted for Kamala Harris in the election but criticized her performance. He also criticized Donald Trump's stance on DEI policies, disagreeing with the idea that DEI automatically means unqualified minorities are hired.
February 2025: Entertained Idea of Launching Presidential Campaign
In February 2025, Stephen A. Smith stated on his podcast, The Stephen A. Smith Show, that he would entertain the idea of launching a presidential campaign, after receiving two percent of the vote in a Democratic primary nationwide poll.
May 2025: Comments on a Potential Political Run
In May 2025, Donald Trump entertained the idea of Stephen A. Smith running in the next election. Smith later stated he would run as a Democrat but expressed dissatisfaction with the party's current state, describing himself as fiscally conservative and socially liberal.
2025: Signed New ESPN and SiriusXM Contracts
In 2025, Stephen A. Smith signed a new contract with ESPN worth over $100 million over five years, and a contract with SiriusXM worth $36 million over three years.
2025: Podcast Episode on Capitalism
In a 2025 episode of his podcast, Stephen A. Smith described himself as a "proud capitalist", stating his belief in making money.
2028: Considered Running for President
In 2028, Stephen A. Smith considered a run for president of the United States.
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