Stephen A. Smith’s job status at ESPN revealed amid mass layoffs
Dec 18, 2019; Philadelphia, PA, USA; ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith broadcasts before a game between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Miami Heat at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
With ESPN dropping the hammer this week on a number of big-name talents, we now know where Stephen A. Smith stands in all of this.
ESPN just made the dramatic decision to lay off around 20 of their most well-known personalities amid a continued effort to cut salary. Jeff Van Gundy, Jalen Rose, and many other very significant names were let go as part of the layoffs.
Andrew Marchand of the New York Post reported Friday on Smith’s status amid the turmoil at the network. Though ESPN reportedly said at the start of layoffs that there would be “no sacred cows” when it came to personnel, Marchand writes that Smith is not at risk of being let go. Marchand also mentions Scott Van Pelt and Joe Buck as others who are not at risk.
It isn’t a shocker that ESPN is holding onto Smith, their most widely-known and highly-exposed personality. But it was at least a question worth asking since Smith is making a gargantuan amount of money from the network.
We have already heard who might be replacing Van Gundy and others now that their jobs are officially vacant. But for the time being, Smith’s job looks to be very much safe.
