Stephen A. Smith made a couple of rare comments on the First Take airwaves this week. The highest-paid ESPN media personality discussed the Dallas Cowboys’ wild overtime victory over the New England Patriots when he made a rare reference to a competing network and host.
Smith shouted out NFL Network host Rich Eisen while facing off against one of his NFL Network co-workers, Michael Irvin.
“Each Sunday morning,” Smith said on the debate show. “I make sure I flip that channel over to the NFL Network. I wanted to see because Rich Eisen’s my man, former ESPN dude, love him dearly. Can’t wait to bring him on the show one of these Mondays as well.”
Smith and Eisen missed working with each other at ESPN by about two years. Eisen left for NFL Network in 2003, while Smith debuted Quite Frankly with Stephen A. Smith on ESPN in 2005.
“That’s my brother right there. Rich Eisen, and his wonderful wife, Suzy, who I’ve been friends with for decades, decades, I’ve known her for decades. Hey, love you, Suzy.”
Smith shouted out Suzy Shuster, Eisen’s wife, who has an extensive career in sports media as a producer, reporter, and host. Shuster most recently filled in for her husband on his radio show this past summer when Eisen was called away for Tokyo Olympics coverage.
Outside of Shuster, it’s rare to see high-octane competitors get a shutout on the opposite network, but Smith felt compelled to acknowledge his friends on a day when he had to hear all about the Cowboys from Michael Irvin.
Smith is a famous Cowboys hater who never buys into the hype. Now, the Cowboys are 5-1 and off to their best start as a team since 2016. It’s been over a quarter-century since Dallas played in a Super Bowl, let alone won the whole thing. Cowboys fans would love to change that in a time where one of their legends faces off against Smith every Monday.