‘First Take’ won’t be as good without its unsung hero in Molly Qerim

We still don’t know the full story regarding why Molly Qerim left ESPN.

But what is clear is that First Take won’t be the same without her.

That’s not a knock on whoever ultimately replaces her. ESPN has several capable and qualified candidates to host its morning debate show, and as long as Stephen A. Smith is still in the main chair, it will likely remain a ratings monster. The brand is strong, as is its timeslot and its biggest star.

Still, Qerim’s exit leaves a void that can’t be easily filled.

Since joining the show full-time in September 2015 — 10 years to the day of her resignation— the UConn alum has been more than just the traffic cop between Smith and his rotating cast of debate partners. In many ways, she’s been the glue that’s held the program together, an on-air presence who kept the format moving, pushed back on Smith when needed and helped the show evolve past the era of Embracing Debate.

Qerim’s chemistry with Smith was undeniable, so much so that it often fueled rumors that the two co-hosts were dating (they weren’t). It’s also perhaps the primary reason First Take was able to endure the departure of Skip Bayless and a seven-year run with Max Kellerman, who never quite clicked with the show, as Smith is seemingly fond of reminding people.

Nevertheless, the franchise continued on an upward trajectory, effectively replacing SportsCenter as ESPN’s flagship program. And that was thanks in no small part to Qerim, who was the one mainstay alongside Smith for the last decade.

Qerim’s presence on First Take was so strong that the show never needed a traditional opponent opposite Smith after the Worldwide Leader let go of Kellerman in 2023. Sure, Shannon Sharpe, Chris “Mad Dog” Russo, and Cam Newton, among many others, have technically filled that void on a rotating basis. But the two constants of the program for the last two years have been Smith and Qerim, the latter of whom has never been shy to call out the former when need be.

Molly Qerim calls out Stephen A. Smith for big-market bias in his sports takes as the ‘First Take’ hosts spar over Bill Belichick’s move to North Carolina:

“Molly completely misrepresents me, that’s alright.”

(h/t @BucksShowYo) pic.twitter.com/hK9WRxoAan

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) December 12, 2024

Take one look at our archives, and you’ll get a good idea of the dynamic the two shared. And for as talented as Qerim’s eventual full-time replacement might be, it’s hard to imagine that he or she will be able to recapture the same chemistry she shared with Smith.

After all, Molly Qerim first arrived at ESPN in 2008 — one year before Smith was famously let go by the network. And her arrival on First Take came amid a period of transition for the show, as the former Philadelphia Inquirer columnist attempted to find his footing as the star of a show that was first popularized by Bayless.

In the decade since, Smith has become not just the most powerful star at not just the network, but in perhaps all of sports media, as evidenced by his $105 million contract (plus another $36 million from SiriusXM). All the while, Qerim has been right by his side, not only keeping him in check on the air but also providing her own strong takes and a much-needed level of humanity to a debate show that can border on cartoonish at times.

That’s the challenge ESPN now faces: finding someone who can not only steer the conversation but also go head-to-head with Smith. Will her replacement feel as comfortable pushing back against him when he’s already established as one of the industry’s biggest stars? Will they bring the same credibility and connection with the audience that Qerim established over the course of the last 10 years?

Molly Qerim was never billed as First Take’s biggest star, but in many ways, she was the show’s MVP. Even after just two days, her absence has already been felt, and whoever replaces her will inherit the enviable task of replicating a chemistry and presence that took a decade to build.