ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith has launched a fiery rebuttal against New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, accusing the rookie of being a 'liar' in a dramatic escalation of a war of words that began on the network's own airwaves.
The Spark: Newton's 'Fool's Gold' Comment
The controversy ignited during last Friday's edition of First Take, when former NFL MVP Cam Newton analysed the Patriots' strong 9-2 start to the season. Newton labelled the team's resurgence under centre Maye as 'fool's gold', attributing their success to a relatively kind schedule rather than established elite performance.
The in-form rookie, who has been instrumental in New England's impressive run, was asked about Newton's assessment on Wednesday. Maye responded with a brutal dismissal, claiming ignorance of his fellow quarterback's television career. 'I don't even know what show he's on,' Maye stated. 'I think they get paid to make remarks and make certain comments.'
Smith's Furious On-Air Defence
The situation intensified during Thursday's live broadcast of First Take from Bethune-Cookman University. Newton stood by his original critique, insisting that despite the Patriots' superior record, Maye is not yet on the level of AFC quarterbacks like Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes.
It was then that Stephen A. Smith leapt to his co-star's defence with characteristic fervour. Smith directly accused the young Patriots star of dishonesty, passionately citing the show's ratings success.
'[Drake Maye] is a liar…First Take is the number one morning show..don’t tell me you a athlete and you don’t know that. Don’t tell me you a athlete and you don’t know that Cam Newton is on this show. You lying,' Smith declared. He elaborated on the show's dominance, highlighting that 'Pardon The Interruption' is the No 1 show on ESPN spanning 20-plus decades and that First Take has been the top morning show for 13 years running.
Fallout and Focus on the Field
Amid the televised spat, Newton did concede that Maye is having a 'great season' with the Patriots. However, he maintained his position that the 23-year-old, just 11 games into his professional career, remains an unproven commodity compared to the league's established stars.
For his part, Maye appeared focused on matters on the field. On Wednesday, he emphasised that his primary concern is the opinion within his own organisation. 'I'm just worried about what people in our organization think, and worry about (what) we think and what my teammates think,' Maye said. 'People are going to have different opinions. I'm just going out there on Sunday and worrying about ourselves.'
This very public clash between a promising NFL rookie and one of sports media's most prominent voices has captivated fans, creating a major storyline as the Patriots continue their surprising season.
