Molly Qerim to Leave First Take, Will Step Away from ESPN at Year’s End
Longtime First Take host confirms departure after nearly two decades with the network, saying she will close the chapter at the end of the year
Molly Qerim, a longtime host of ESPN’s morning debate show First Take, said Monday she will step away from the program and leave her role at the network at the end of the year.
In an Instagram story, Qerim wrote that she had ‘‘decided it’s time to close this incredible chapter and step away from First Take,’’ and thanked viewers and colleagues for the opportunity. She added, "Now that the news came out earlier than I intended, and not in the way I hoped..." and ended the post with "Stay tuned :)" while offering gratitude for friendships and memories made during her tenure.
Qerim, 41, has co-hosted First Take with Stephen A. Smith since 2015 and has been a fixture on the show for a decade. She did not explicitly confirm whether she is leaving ESPN entirely in the Instagram post, but reports in Sports Business Journal said Qerim was offered a new contract this year and chose to decline it, prompting her decision to end her stint at the network.
Qerim joined ESPN’s digital and mobile team in 2006 and moved into on-air roles, including hosting College Football Live and serving as a breaking-news reporter on Fantasy Football Now on ESPN2. She received an Emmy in 2008 for her work on Fantasy Football Now. Before her time at ESPN she had worked for the NFL Network and CBS Sports Network. In 2015, she became interim host of First Take, replacing Cari Champion, and was soon named the full-time host.
First Take is one of ESPN’s highest-profile morning shows, combining debate, interviews and sports commentary. Qerim’s role as moderator and host had her preside over daily discussions involving athletes, analysts and ESPN personalities, and she frequently balanced outspoken panelists while guiding the program’s format.
Qerim’s announcement drew immediate attention from sports media and fans on social platforms, where regular viewers expressed surprise at the timing of the news. Her post thanked the ‘‘First Take family’’ and viewers for welcoming her into their homes, saying hosting the show had been ‘‘one of the greatest honors of my career.’’
The network has not issued a public statement confirming a departure timetable or outlining plans for a replacement. Qerim’s note suggested additional developments could follow, but offered no specifics about future projects or next steps.
Qerim’s departure marks a significant change for First Take as it approaches its third decade on air. The program has undergone multiple staffing shifts and format adjustments since its launch, but Qerim’s decade-long presence as host helped provide continuity for the series through changes in panelists and production.
Further updates are expected as Qerim’s planned exit approaches at the end of the year and as ESPN decides how it will reconfigure the show’s hosting lineup.