ESPN Colleague Takes a Shot at Stephen A. Smith After His Grovelling Apology for Spreading Misinformation
ESPN Colleague Takes a Shot at Stephen A. Smith After His Grovelling Apology for Spreading Misinformation
Pranav Kotai Sun, October 11, 2026 at 2:30 AM UTC
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NCAA, College League, USA Football: CFP National Championship-Ohio State at Notre Dame Jan 20, 2025 Atlanta, GA, USA ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith on the ESPN First Take set at the CFP Fan Central at the George World Congress Center. Atlanta Mercedes-Benz Stadium Georgia United States, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xKirbyxLeex 20250120_cec_al2_011 ©Credits Kirby Lee via IMAGOStephen A. Smith is facing another backlash after his controversial comments about Eagles star Lane Johnson’s mental health.
Stephen A. Smith is facing another backlash after his controversial comments about Eagles star Lane Johnson’s mental health. His latest apology has drawn a sarcastic response from ESPN colleague Jalen Rose, who appears to have grown tired of the veteran commentator’s repeated controversies.
The controversy stems from an episode of Smith’s Culture Table podcast, where he discussed finances in marriage and divorce. During the conversation, Smith repeated claims that Teyana Taylor received over $25 million in cash plus properties, and luxury cars following her split from Iman Shumpert, further stating that his now ESPN colleague and former NBA champion was left with $2 million and had nowhere to live.
Smith later acknowledged that he had failed to verify the information before repeating it. But Jalen Rose has seemingly noticed the pattern and taken a shot with a pointed two-word description, “tap dancing.”
“Been doing a lot of tap dancing, I mean apologizing,” wrote Rose on X.
Watch the fallout unfold as ESPN insiders weigh in on accountability in sports media. Subscribe to stay ahead of the conversations shaping the industry.
Rose previously worked with ESPN until 2023, but now is back with the network as it airs TNT’s Inside the NBA. His tweet was in response to a video of Stephen A. Smith taking responsibility for his mistake
“I know this for a fact because I personally spoke to Teyana Taylor, who verified herself that the information circulating out there is patently false.” Stephen A. Smith further claimed that “I have personally apologized to both Iman and Teyana.”
The apology was for failing to verify the facts about the divorce settlement. He stated that the settlement should have been 50-50, and “it’s sad to hear that he (Shumpert) went through that.” But Taylor has pushed back against the narrative surrounding the division of their assets.
In a 2025 court filing, she challenged claims that she and Shumpert had reached a private “settlement,” arguing that the court itself determined how their properties would be split. The ruling awarded her four of the seven properties they owned together, two of which she said she had purchased independently.
Shumpert, on the other hand, kept a Miami condo that Taylor claimed he had originally gifted to her. She also stressed that “Both parties put work, time and money into the remaining four properties that were divided by the Court.”
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Taylor further disputed the suggestion that the NBA champion had funded the vehicles she received, insisting she paid for every car herself, including the Maybach. It’s not the first time that Stephen A. Smith had to walk back on his stance.
Smith has built a successful career around outspoken opinions and heated sports debates. but it has also led to several high-profile apologies.
One of the most controversial incidents came in July 2014, when Stephen A. discussed the NFL’s handling of Ray Rice’s domestic violence case. The backlash was immediate, and ESPN suspended him for a week. Smith subsequently apologized, calling his remarks a serious error.
In 2016, he faced criticism after questioning Ayesha Curry’s public comments during the NBA Finals. Smith criticized the Golden State Warriors star’s wife after she suggested the series might be “rigged.” He later walked back his remarks on First Take.
His comments about Shohei Ohtani in July 2021 triggered another wave of criticism. Stephen A. Smith questioned whether the Los Angeles Angels star could become the “face of baseball” in the United States because he relied on an interpreter and did not speak English fluently. Even recently, the veteran ESPN broadcaster made comments that backfired.
On October 7, 2026, Philadelphia Eagles offensive tackle Lane Johnson unexpectedly announced his retirement four games into the season, citing family and a desire to prioritize his mental health. But Smith questioned the decision to step away from football to focus on his mental health. The following day, he apologized.
“I was wrong to Lane Johnson.” Stephen A. Smith continued, “I was wrong to the Philadelphia Eagles. I messed up because I made light of the issue of mental health.”
Time and again, Smith has shown willingness to admit mistakes. But repeated failure to verify the information has led to controversies, which makes one wonder if the problem lies elsewhere.
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Source: “AOL Entertainment”
