Dan Orlovsky’s reputation as an elite football analyst is unquestionable, but it might not be enough to save his job at ESPN. As the doubts continue to build and questions pile up over his future, the veteran broadcaster Stephen A. Smith recently took a sarcastic jab, explaining why his days could be numbered with the network.

“To the bosses at ESPN, we need to cherish the people that we have,” said Stephen A. Smith on a recent episode of First Take. “I don’t think Dan Orlovsky’s gonna be here too much longer, because this man knows his damn football and somebody gonna get smart enough and scoop him up.”

Dan has been the face of several ESPN shows. He was the co-host of the secondary team of Monday Night Football, which is rumored to be discontinued after the recent landmark $3 billion deal with the NFL. Moreover, he has been a prominent analyst for popular shows such as Get Up, NFL Live, and First Take.

The former quarterback has been associated with the network since 2018, shortly after retiring from the gridiron, meaning it was his maiden broadcasting job. Though he signed a contract extension in July, 2025, the recent shake-up in the network, prompted by the billion-dollar deal with the NFL, has ignited the exit rumor.

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Smith took Dan’s name after giving an example of Troy Aikman to the Miami Dolphins, where he has been serving as a consultant. Troy is a legend of the Dallas Cowboys, winning three Super Bowl titles with them. But Jerry Jones failed to leverage his experience and expertise as a broadcaster before the Dolphins roped him.

Similarly, Smith gave a stern warning to the ESPN management that if they fail to keep him at the network despite his brilliant work as an elite analyst, the rival networks may take advantage of it, eventually securing his services.

However, the rumor of the 42-year-old’s departure is not just tied to this season. Last year, his possible exit continued to dominate the news before he signed the contract extension. While he posted cryptic social media messages referring to parting ways with the company, he also later recalled that he had almost signed for the rival CBS Network before finalizing the new deal.

While Smith has publicly acknowledged the issue, he also took the names of other analysts besides Dan Orlovsky, who could lose their jobs.

Stephen A. Smith fears ESPN may lose its two other top NFL voices

For the past three seasons, Louis Riddick featured with Dan Orlovsky on ESPN’s secondary broadcasting team, working alongside play-by-play commentator Chris Fowler. On the other hand, Ryan Clark and Orlovsky are the regular colleagues on NFL Live, making them crucial members of the broadcasting team.

In the same episode of the First Take, Smith praised the football acumen of Riddick, suggesting he might land a front office role for a franchise if ESPN gets rid of him.

“Somebody is gonna come to their damn senses and give Louis Riddick a GM job or a head of football operations,” said Smith.

As a matter of fact, Riddick gave the General Manager’s interview for the New York Jets in early 2025, so the prediction cannot be ruled out.

Additionally, the First Take host defended and praised Ryan Clark the same way he praised Dan. Acknowledging his talent as an analyst, he referred to him as one of the leading contributors of the network at the moment, and his rumored departure could be a big blow.

“They’re gonna scoop him (Ryan Clark) up,” stated Smith. “We have very elite minds here in the sport of football, right here at this network.”

The 46-year-old has been an ESPN employee much longer than Dan, signing the broadcasting contract in 2015. He has been part of the network for 11 seasons. His last contract extension was in 2024, which pays him $2 million a year, even though the exact duration of the contract is not publicly disclosed. Losing an employee who has been part of the company for a decade would not be easy to handle, giving a considerable edge to the rivals, as Smith discussed.