New Details Reveal The Real Reason Why Molly Qerim Abruptly Left ESPN


Molly Qerim (Photo via Instagram)
It appears that Molly Qerim felt disrespected by ESPN.

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Qerim’s abrupt departure not only from the First Take show she co-hosted with Stephen A. Smith for 10 years, but also from the ESPN network, came as a big surprise.

Everyone has been wondering why she left ESPN’s “First Take,” and now it appears to

The 41-year-old Qerim’s contract was up at the end of the year, and negotiations to expand her role within ESPN broke down as she decided to walk away from it all. But why?

A new report says Molly Qerim reportedly felt that her $500,000 ESPN salary undervalued her contributions to First Take.

Qerim believed she played a pivotal role in the show’s success, but the company did not agree, so she decided to walk away.

Qerim’s former colleague Marcellus Wiley also pointed to this when he relayed Qerim definitely felt disrespected that Smith was making $21 million a year with his new five-year contract, and other female talent on the network like Malika Andrews and Mina Kimes make in the 7-figures.

Stephen A Smith Previously Spoke On Molly Qerim’s Exit

Molly Qerim posing in dressMolly Qerim (Photo via Instagram)
Molly Qerim stunned the sports media world last month when she revealed she was leaving ESPN and the First Take show she’s co-hosted since 2015.

The 41-year-old Emmy Award winner did not announce her future plans.

Stephen A. Smith spoke on the situation last month, explaining that ESPN didn’t want to lose Qerim amid contract negotiations with the host, adding that “it’s just uncomfortable to see” and that he’s “not happy about it.”

“To say that I’m quite sad about it is an understatement,” he said on “The Stephen A Smith Show.”

“Molly is a friend. Molly is a co-worker. Molly is somebody that I’ve leaned on on many occasions in the past, as she has done when it comes to me. We’ve been partners on the show for the last 10 years, and a lot of times, some of these things happen, and it’s just uncomfortable to see.

“The details, quite frankly, are none of y’all’ business. It’s not as if I know all the details. It was a contract negotiation that was going on. ESPN certainly did not want to lose her. But in the end, she made her decision to walk away from the show effective immediately.”

As ESPN deals with Qerim’s exit, the network tried to soften the blow by locking in Malika Andrews with a new multi-year deal.