Stephen A. Smith is pushing back against what he describes as a coordinated effort to remove him from the national spotlight. Speaking on his SiriusXM program, The Stephen A. Smith Show, Smith said he is well aware of critics who want him off both ESPN and SiriusXM Mad Dog Sports Radio.
He made it clear he is not concerned about those efforts.
“Things have happened in my life over the last year or so that you have a right to know,” Smith said. “There are many folks out there who want me done. They want me fired. They want me taken off the airwaves… Good luck with that.”
The comments come as Smith continues to draw strong reactions across sports media. His outspoken style has long made him a central figure in the industry. It has also placed him at the center of frequent criticism.
Rather than shy away, Smith said opposition motivates him.
“There’s nothing that gets me up more than adversaries,” he said. “I love it. It inspires me, it fuels me.”
However, he drew a distinction between public criticism and personal betrayal. These comments stem off the back and forth between Smith and All The Smoke co-founder Matt Barnes surrounding Smith’s recent comments about LeBron James and Memphis, which sparked widespread reaction.
Smith said he is less bothered by vocal detractors than by individuals he once trusted.
“I don’t hurt easy,” Smith said. “I will tell you what does hurt me; when I have people who smile in my face spanning years and led me to believe we were friends and then backstab me.”
Smith also suggested that some of the pushback is strategic. He pointed to what he described as efforts by current and former athletes to weaken his influence, while not referencing a single named individual.
“They want to make enough noise so enough people can turn against somebody like me,” he said. “Maybe, just maybe, you won’t listen to me. As a result, by not listening to me, it will dilute my impact, and I’d go away, so they won’t have to be concerned about me. Too late for that. I’m not going away.”
Despite the noise, Smith remains one of the most visible personalities on ESPN. He continues to anchor major programming and maintain a daily presence on SiriusXM. Neither company has publicly indicated any plans to make changes. Smith even addressed the possibility of losing one of his platforms. He argued that such a move would not silence him.
Instead, he said it could expand his reach.
“Imagine for a second that I’m no longer working for the Mouse [Disney],” Smith said. “Do you understand there would be no barricades? There would be no barriers. Do you understand? That would unleash me even more.”
That mindset reflects Smith’s broader approach to his career. He has consistently leaned into controversy rather than avoiding it. The strategy has helped him build a massive audience across television, radio and digital platforms.
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That’s no secret but plenty of people want him done. He’s an obnoxious blow hard. I don’t even know why any of those people appear on first take when it’s all about him anyway.
But obviously, he’s a little concerned about it or he wouldn’t come out and tell us about it.