One of the biggest stories in sports media over the last year was what happened with ESPN's “First Take.” Stephen A. Smith is the architect of the show, and it underwent a massive makeover that included permanently removing Max Kellerman. Instead, Smith became a mainstay, with a revolving door of guests, rather than Kellerman. That also led to Kellerman being let go at ESPN after his radio show was cancelled.

In his first big interview since he was let go at ESPN, Kellerman appeared on “The Bill Simmons Podcast” and talked about why Stephen A. Smith wanted him gone. He used boxing analogies to highlight the fact that he thinks it got old for Smith because Kellerman and he are both competitive people. He also believed that Smith wanted to be seen more as a solo act and get paid top dollar for it.

Kellerman said, “If you’re doing a debate show and you’re a competitive person, why would you want me as a partner? That isn’t good. You want to go 15 rounds every day with Muhammad Kellerman? That isn’t good. It’s embarrassing.

“I have an idea, this is what I want to put on TV,” Kellerman continued. “I want to spar Bud Crawford every day for 15 rounds, and I want everyone to see it. Eventually, you’re going to say I don’t want to do it anymore.”
Kellerman said he thinks the financial decision on Smith's side also played a significant role, because he wanted to do more and get paid more on his own.
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“That’s what I can tell you from my point of view,” Kellerman explained. “And I also think that if you make a calculation that if you can be perceived as a solo act, really, that you can get paid at a certain level that you can’t if you’re not a solo act, then you’d like to be a solo act or at least perceived that way.”
It is worth noting that Kellerman left “First Take” in 2021, and in 2023, ESPN laid him off as part of a massive round of layoffs that included everyone from talent to behind-the-scenes staff. Kellerman had a non-compete in his ESPN contract and has not been able to work since leaving ESPN because of it. Now, he is set to come back to the sports media landscape after he provided commentary on Netflix's boxing match between Canelo Alvarez and Tyson Crawford.
It is worth noting that Stephen A. Smith did say he respected much of what Kellerman had done in his career, but his issues were that he was not an athlete and not technically a journalist.