Molly Qerim leaves ESPN after contract talks fail; network to test First Take replacement

Molly Qerim has left ESPN in an abrupt departure after failing to reach a renewal, ending a 19-year run with the network. The decision, announced last weekend and later confirmed by colleagues, came as the company and the longtime First Take host were unable to finalize terms of a new deal.

ESPN President of Content Burke Magnus described the decision as the result of a renewal discussion that did not fully align with Qerim’s plans after a decade on a top show. He said ESPN had hoped to broaden her duties and keep her on First Take, but the timing and the direction of her career ultimately diverged. "There was a couple dimensions to this," he said, noting that "10 years to do something like that is a long time." He added that while ESPN valued Qerim, it was easier for her to pursue a clean break and explore other opportunities.

Magnus also said Qerim was already going to step down as First Take host at year’s end, meaning the timing of her exit was not tied to a renewal, and the network would shift focus to a pool of potential replacements. "She was going to come off First Take either way and [we] had already crossed that bridge," he said. ESPN plans a 30- to 45-day review period to test several candidates before naming a successor.

Stephen A. Smith, Qerim’s longtime co-host on First Take, called the exit "uncomfortable" and said he was saddened by the news. He said the partnership with Qerim had been a cornerstone of the show for a decade and that private contract negotiations are not a matter for public discussion. "To say that I’m quite sad about it is an understatement," Smith said, adding that the details are private.

Qerim’s tenure at ESPN began in 2006, initially focusing on digital and mobile platforms before she became a College Football Live host two years later. She also served as a breaking news reporter for Fantasy Football Now on ESPN2, earning an Emmy for her work on the program in 2008. After serving as the interim host of First Take when Cari Champion left for SportsCenter, Qerim was named the full-time host several months later and steered the show for a decade with Smith.

ESPN now faces the task of identifying a new face for a flagship hour that has become a central platform for dialogue around the sport. The network declined to comment further beyond Magnus’s remarks and the plan to evaluate candidates over the next several weeks.