Overview
- Smith said on the Out The Mud podcast that he told ESPN he wants Sharpe back and that company executives will make the call.
- Reporting from Awful Announcing, echoed by Larry Brown Sports, says ESPN is not considering Sharpe’s return at this time.
- Sharpe stepped away after a sexual assault accusation and later settled a $50 million lawsuit, and he now hosts his Club Shay Shay podcast.
- Smith recently arranged a one-off Skip Bayless reunion on First Take, showing his pull on bookings even as final hiring decisions sit above him.
- Awful Announcing cited prior incidents during Sharpe’s ESPN stint, including an Instagram Live sexual encounter and an on-air moment when the lawsuit surfaced, as factors troubling to the network’s brand.