Stephen A. Smith Issues Hostile Warning to Tiki Barber: ‘Watch Yourself And Know Who You’re Talking About’

Stephen A. Smith has been critical of the New York Giants for never hiring a Black head coach, while Tiki Barber passionately defended his former organization against recent allegations of racism.

Last week, during his defense of the Giants, Barber called out Smith for criticizing the Giants without knowing anyone inside the organization.

“I can’t sit here, with conviction, like Stephen A. — who doesn’t know anybody in the Giants’ organization — and claim that they’re a racist organization,” Barber said on his WFAN radio show co-hosted by Brandon Tierney.

The allegations of discrimination within the Giants organization stems from Brian Flores’s recent lawsuit against the NFL, which claims there is racial bias within the league’s hiring process for head coaches.

But Smith didn’t take kindly to Barber questioning his journalistic integrity and Monday morning, the ESPN star closed out First Take with a hostile warning to the former Giants running back.

“Tiki, you don’t know who the hell I know,” Smith said boldly. “I’ve been a journalist for almost 30 years. I know a few people within the Giants organization. I know a lot of stuff about you my brother that I would never say because I have the decency not to say those things. Chill out. Watch yourself. And know who you’re talking about.”

If any rumors about Barber begin to swirl in the coming weeks, Smith will arise as the obvious culprit. Because that’s a warning, if not a threat to Barber from Smith.

Barber nearly burst into tears last week as he defended the Giants and their ownership from allegations of racism. The Giants are one of just six NFL organization to never employ a Black head coach and it wasn’t until 2017 that they joined the rest of the league in starting their first Black quarterback for a game. Giants owner John Mara is one of the most prominent members of the NFL’s Workplace Diversity Committee.

Watch above via ESPN