Molly Qerim is about to part ways with ESPN after nearly two decades at the network.
The longtime sports host Qerim is set to leave ESPN at the end of 2025, Austin Karp of Sports Business Journal reported on Monday. Karp notes that ESPN offered Qerim a new contract but that Qerim chose to move on.
Qerim, 41, first began at The Worldwide Leader in 2006 as part of their digital media content. She then moved to the television side for ESPN in 2008, serving as a host and reporter for shows such as “College Football Live” and “Fantasy Football Now.” Qerim eventually then became somewhat of a household name thanks to her longstanding role as host and moderator of the popular show “First Take.”
In 2015, ESPN made Qerim the permanent host of “First Take.” She has also done more specialized coverage for the network, including working Super Bowls, college football events, and the NBA and MLB All-Star Games.
On top of that, Qerim made headlines for her brief marriage to then-ESPN colleague Jalen Rose, the former NBA player. Qerim tied the knot with Rose in 2018, but the two ended up filing for divorce in 2021.
Having also worked for NFL Network and CBS Sports Network before joining ESPN, Qerim has been a mainstay on “First Take” alongside Stephen A. Smith (amid a rotating cast of co-hosts working next to them). But come the end of this calendar year, ESPN will need to find a permanent replacement for Qerim herself.
