Will Shannon Sharpe be the best debate partner for Stephen A. Smith on First Take? Ranking 5 best people to go against ESPN star

It is official: Shannon Sharpe will be Stephen A. Smith's football debate "opponent" on ESPN starting this fall.

The New York Post learned on Thursday that the former co-host of FS1's Undisputed would appear on First Take every Monday and Tuesday, discussing the latest and biggest hot takes in the NFL.

The role is in a way full circle for the former tight end, as he had made a few guest appearances back when Smith and Skip Bayless were its main hosts. Those spots convinced Bayless and then-FS1 boss Jamie Horowitz to launch a competing show, which became the first iteration of Undisputed.

The publication also reported that ESPN would acquire the broadcasting rights to Sharpe's Club Shay Shay podcast, which launched in 2020.

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Revisiting Stephen A. Smith's five best "opponents" on First Take

As Stephen A. Smith prepares for a new season of football, and with it a new "opponent", here is a history of his five best.

Smith's first debating partner was also his first co-host, Skip Bayless, who had been one of its original hosts. Once Smith joined in 2012, the two turned the then-floundering show into one of ESPN's biggest draws.

But behind the scenes was a growing unease over who the true star of the show was. Eventually, Bayless left in 2016 to join Shannon Sharpe on FS1. He was replaced by Max Kellerman, and they continued their remarkable chemistry.

One of the highlights of that partnership was in 2020, when Smith went off on Kellerman after the Los Angeles Clippers notoriously blew a 3-1 lead against the Denver Nuggets during the NBA Western Conference Semifinals:

But backstage politics ended that partnership in 2021, which allegedly occurred at Stephen A. Smith's behest.

Back in the NFL, Smith has also had heated debates with the likes of Keyshawn Johnson and Dan Orlovsky, but they pale in comparison to his antagonizing of Dallas Cowboys legend Michael Irvin, as evidenced by this clip of him reacting to the Cowboys' 2021-22 NFC Wild Card loss to the San Francisco 49ers:

Smith's NFL "opponents" may hence be ranked as follows (from lowest to highest):

5) Dan Orlovsky

4) Keyshawn Johnson

3) Max Kellerman

2) Skip Bayless

1) Michael Irvin

Where Sharpe eventually ranks here will depend on his chemistry with his new colleague...

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Stephen A. Smith's net worth in 2023

As of 2023, Stephen A. Smith has a net worth of $20 million annually, most of which he earns from his lucrative contract with ESPN. In fact, that figure makes him the network's highest-paid employee.

Smith's earnings are divided into an $8 million base salary and a $4 million per-production incentive/bonus. That is a far cry from the $3 million he had been earning back in 2014.