Stephen A. Smith Reveals ESPN Boss Instructed Talent to ‘Veer Away From Politics’ on Air: ‘It Was Hurting the Network’

Stephen A. Smith recently revealed that ESPN’s former president told them to steer clear of politics as it was “hurting” the company.

Smith appeared on The Rich Eisen Show on Monday, where the two had an in-depth conversation about Smith’s career aspirations. When politics came up, Smith explained how he uses his own platform — The Stephen A. Smith Show — to touch on topics outside of sports. Because he’s able to express himself elsewhere, he had no problem with former ESPN president Jimmy Pitaro instructing everyone to stay away from politics on ESPN itself.

“Certainly, it’s a dangerous platform at times,” Smith told Eisen. “I understand that, particularly in the climate that we live in; but I also like to be that renegade. I also like to be somebody that’s perceived as not running from anything. And I’ve often said this: I don’t know Jimmy Pitaro and ESPN for doing this one bit when Jimmy Pitaro arrived around 2017, 2018. He wanted us to veer away from politics and he was absolutely right because it was hurting the network and things of that nature. I completely supported him then. I completely support him now.

“When you tune into ESPN, that’s what you’re looking for; but in the same breath, we’re not monolithic people. We have an abundance of ideas and passions and interests that we like to touch on, that fuels our spirit and our soul on a lot of different levels. And when you don’t see me talking about those things, it’s primarily because I’m appeasing the bosses and the network that I’m working for. It’s not because I’m running from it, because I’m not scared.”