Molly Qerim to Leave ESPN at Year's End, Ending Nearly Two Decades with Network
“First Take” host announced Monday she will depart the network after a run that began in 2006; ESPN reportedly offered a contract extension
Molly Qerim, the longtime host of ESPN’s debate program First Take, will leave the network at the end of the year, she announced Monday night.
Qerim has hosted First Take since 2015 and joined ESPN in 2006 as part of its digital and mobile team. According to Sports Business Journal, the network offered her a new contract but she decided to move on.
The departure marks the end of an almost 20-year tenure at ESPN for Qerim, who became a visible presence on the network as the moderator of the high-profile morning debate show. First Take is one of ESPN’s flagship opinion and discussion programs, featuring debates and analysis on major sports stories.
In announcing her decision, Qerim did not disclose specific reasons for leaving or detail future plans. Reports that ESPN proposed a new contract emerged alongside coverage of her announcement; she opted not to accept that offer, according to Sports Business Journal.
ESPN did not immediately provide comment on the announcement or on plans for a successor on First Take. The network has previously rotated co-hosts and contributors on the program, which has been central to ESPN’s morning lineup.
Qerim joined ESPN in the midsummer of the network’s digital expansion and later transitioned to on-air roles that culminated in her appointment as First Take’s host in 2015. During her time with the show she presided over debates on high-profile sports controversies and events, helping maintain the program’s prominence in sports media.
Details about Qerim’s final broadcast date and any planned tributes or special programming have not been released. Her departure follows a period of notable turnover across sports media, where established anchors and hosts have moved between networks or into independent projects.
As Qerim prepares to exit, questions remain about who will replace her as host and how ESPN will retool its morning debate programming. The network’s next steps and Qerim’s future endeavors are expected to draw attention from viewers and industry observers alike as the year concludes.