Everyone is accustomed to watching Molly Qerim take that seat beside Stephen A. Smith on First Take. But as of Tuesday, everything has changed for ESPN. After a failed discussion over a new multiyear contract, the 41-year-old superstar decided to walk away. “Hosting this show has been one of the greatest honors of my career,” Molly wrote in her farewell message on Instagram. And while fans were moving on, the network was already ahead.

Thursday began with an interesting update from Richard Deitsch of The Athletic. In a report, he said: “ESPN will take 30-45 days to try out several people to fill Molly Qerim’s hosting role on First Take.” Well, you could say that the broadcasting moguls want to try out the chemistry between the new host and Stephen A.

To be fair, Smith and  Qerim have hosted First Take for 10 years. Therefore, when he opened the show on Tuesday, he started off with a message of gratitude for his now ex-co-host. “She’s been an enormous part of our success for a decade. Not only did she keep me and many others in line, she did it with dignity, class, and kindness to say the least,” he said.

Molly Qerim’s journey with ESPN began in 2006, and after nearly 20 years, she has chosen to close this chapter. For almost a decade, she carried First Take with her voice, grace, and presence. She was more than a moderator. She was the heartbeat that kept the fiery clashes alive and the conversations flowing.

Through thousands of episodes on TV, mobile, and digital screens, Qerim shaped the soul of sports talk. Moreover, she turned a daily debate show into a cultural ritual. Her leadership transformed First Take into a powerhouse, leaving an impact ESPN will feel forever. Viewers laughed, argued, and believed alongside her. Now, after two decades, her absence feels louder than the voices she once directed.

And now, ESPN’s president of content, Burke Magnus, has revealed the truth behind Qerim’s surprise exit. He revealed that ESPN was in deep talks with Molly Qerim about fresh opportunities beyond First Take. The network’s message was clear. They wanted her in the family, even as she prepared to step away from the show at year’s end. Change was near, but hope lingered.

Truth behind Molly Qerim’s abrupt exit from ESPN’s First Take

Burke Magnus shared with The Athletic, “There was a couple dimensions to this. One, is obviously we were in a renewal conversation. Two, is 10 years to do something like that is a long time. I’m not going to speak for her, but I think there was a feeling that she wants to do other things, and successfully being on a top show like that for a decade qualifies as maybe I can turn the page and do something else.”

He also added, “We tried to have her do other things and to redo that agreement. It honestly became less about that, and more about, in my opinion, her wanting to do other and explore other things. It ended up being easier for her to make a clean break entirely.” But the decision for her to leave First Take had already been made and accepted, so it was no longer up for debate.

They knew Qerim would step away from the show. So their focus shifted to finding new roles that could highlight her versatility. The online chatter came later, but ESPN had already planned her transition. “There’s no controversy here. There’s no shoe that’s going to drop. She’s an awesome person. You know, it’s business. You try your best and we just weren’t totally aligned. I totally respect her interest, in rather than going into a less defined situation, to make a clean break and try to do other things outside of ESPN,” Magnus concluded.

So, Molly Qerim knew when to leave the stage, and she did it with style. After twenty years at ESPN and a decade ruling First Take, she chose to close the book on her own terms. Talks for a new path were real, but her heart leaned toward fresh horizons. ESPN now experiments, Stephen A. reminisces, and fans brace for change. Yet one truth remains. Qerim’s legacy roars louder than any debate she ever moderated.