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Artwork for First Take
Dallas Cowboys
New York Knicks
Lebron James
Jalen Brunson
Chicago Bears
Los Angeles Rams
San Antonio Spurs
Victor Wembanyama
Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia 76ers
Green Bay Packers
NFL
National Football League
College Football
Jalen Hurts
NBA
Buffalo Bills
Jaylen Brown
Deshaun Watson
Cleveland Browns

First Take is always a heated discussion as Stephen A. Smith and guests debate about the day's top stories.

PublishesDailyEpisodes229Founded16 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Sports

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Artwork for First Take

Latest Episodes

First Take resumes as the Bears take on the Seahawks on Monday night in what could be an NFC Championship game preview. How will newcomers Quenton Nelson and Jeffery Simmons impact this game? Next the crew breaks down some early NBA overreactions. Ar... more

First Take begins as the Packers put a beat down on the Panthers last night. Jordan Love put together another great game to help the Packers keep pace with the rest of the NFC North. Could this Packers team be a contender in the NFC once Micah Parson... more

YouTube

First Take resumes with a preview of tonight's game between the Packers and Panthers. Jordan Love and the Packers have been able to turn their season around but still sit at 4-3 and in the middle of the wild card playoff race. Meanwhile Bryce Young a... more

First Take begins as Lamar Jackson was officially back at practice as a full participant on Wednesday. Does Lamar have to play against the Bills to save the Ravens season? Next some breaking news as the Tennessee Titans trade DT Jeffery Simmons to th... more

YouTube

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
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Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Brian Windhorst
ESPN NBA reporter
ESPN
Episode: Hour 1: How dangerous does Caleb Williams make the Bears?
Mina Kimes
ESPN NFL analyst and writer
ESPN
Episode: Hour 2: Are we more impressed with the Lakers or Timberwolves?
Louis Riddick
ESPN NFL analyst and former NFL executive and player
ESPN
Episode: Hour 2: Are we more impressed with the Lakers or Timberwolves?
Gerald McCoy
Former NFL defensive tackle and football analyst
Episode: Hour 1: Does LaMelo Ball unlock an MVP year for Anthony Edwards?
Jeff Saturday
Former NFL center and football analyst, and former University of North Carolina player
ESPN
Episode: Hour 2: Are the Bears good enough to win the Super Bowl?
Chris Russo
Sports radio host and baseball commentator
SiriusXM
Episode: Hour 2: Are the Bears good enough to win the Super Bowl?
Kimberley A. Martin
NFL reporter and sports journalist
ESPN
Episode: Hour 2: Are the Bears good enough to win the Super Bowl?
Jordan Rodgers
College football analyst and former quarterback
ESPN
Episode: Hour 2: Are the Bears good enough to win the Super Bowl?
Wendy Nix
Sports journalist and television host
ESPN
Episode: Hour 1: What's the biggest reason the 76ers won last night?

Hosts

Shay Cornette
Host of the show, introducing topics and guiding discussion
Kevin Clark
Co-host/Analyst on First Take
Stephen A. Smith
Host/analyst, leading discussions and debates
Harry Douglas
Co-host on First Take
Evan Cohen
Co-host on First Take

Reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars from 9.1k ratings
  • Please Tell The Truth

    There’s RACISM EVERYWHERE Because of 1-Guy

    The president. The Idiots in Sports & Everywhere

    ARE maga. PLEASE For Christ Sake. Grow A PAIR.

    cc’S Being Let Off EZ. she Should Denounce ALL

    The BS & RACIST. she’s A Grown person. ManUp.

    cc & josh allen Are maga’s YT-Hope Pro-Players

    That Haven’t Won ANYTHG & they need to NOW.

    ESPECIALLY#17. he Stinks Up Field & You Say-0-

    If They Both Was BLACK.! You’d Light Them Up.!

    allen SUCKED 10/4/26 AND sas SAID NOTHING.!

    Its So fn Obvious. sas Needs to Admit ... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    From Another Great Admirer
    United Statesa month ago
  • Corporate Falloff

    First take’s fall off has been nothing but drastic and embarrassing. What was once a passable attempt at sports entertainment “journalism” is now a pile of low effort slop that repeats the same talking points and gimmicks year after year.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Bigtunamelt
    United States2 months ago
  • Stephen Ruins It

    Stephen A. doesn’t let others talk and when they say something he doesn’t agree with, he yells at them. I really like this show until he starts talking/yelling. Let everyone have their own opinion, that’s what we want to hear.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    CassieAnkerLee
    United States2 months ago
  • Becoming Stale

    Can y’all please switch up the topics? It’s always the same conversations discussed..

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Turn Up 4 U
    United States2 months ago
  • Trash show

    Terrible show

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    PaulSeal1
    United States3 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Some reviews call out inconsistent uploads and overlong ad breaks.
Critiques often center on the intensity of debate and occasional guest-led dominance.
Listeners appreciate the show's energetic pace and bold takes from top-tier guests.
Fans like the cross-sport conversations and the mix of serious analysis with banter.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

YouTube
#111
United States/Popular Podcasts
Spotify
#48
United States/Sports
Apple Podcasts
#40
United States/Sports
Apple Podcasts
#62
Canada/Sports
Apple Podcasts
#180
Australia/Sports
Apple Podcasts
#7
South Korea/Sports

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Hour 1: Who is most to blame for the Cowboys woes on offense?
Q: Is it time to bench Arch Manning?
Paul Finebaum says Texas should start KJ Lacey Jr. against Ole Miss, while the others discuss Manning's inconsistent play and whether Steve Sarkisian's coaching has hindered his development.
Hour 1: Who is most to blame for the Cowboys woes on offense?
Q: Who is most to blame for the Cowboys' woes on offense?
The panel assigns responsibility to different people: Stephen A. Smith blames Jerry Jones for assembling the team, while Dan Orlovsky and Michael Irvin emphasize Dak Prescott and Brian Schottenheimer's preparation and execution.
Hour 2: Are both Notre Dame and BYU threats to win the CFP?
Q: Paul, do you think Alabama will miss the college football playoff?
Finebaum says Alabama is in serious danger and cannot afford to lose at LSU, while criticism is focused on offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb's play-calling.
Hour 2: Are both Notre Dame and BYU threats to win the CFP?
Q: Do you think both of those teams are title threats?
Paul Finebaum says BYU is likely to make the playoff, but Notre Dame's chances depend heavily on beating Miami after its loss to BYU.
Hour 1: Which team is the biggest threat to a Knicks Repeat?
Q: Are the Celtics still contenders?
Brian Windhorst expects Boston to win many regular-season games but is unsure it can win the title. Stephen A. Smith predicts around 50 wins, while Kendrick Perkins says the Celtics are not title contenders.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
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Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About First Take

What is First Take about and what kind of topics does it cover?

High-energy, debate-driven sports talk with a rotating panel of ESPN voices and guests who tackle the day's biggest NFL, NBA, and MLB topics. Expect rapid-fire takes, bold predictions, and lively banter around quarterback decisions, team systems, and star player narratives, often framed by cross-sport context and pop culture references. Noteworthy is the show's willingness to contrast strong personalities and use cross-league guests to broaden perspectives, creating a dynamic, opinion-led format that appeals to fans who want quick, confident analysis and entertainment from recognizable sports commentators.

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Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for First Take. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to First Take and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

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What are the audience demographics for First Take?

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How many subscribers and views does First Take have?

To see how many followers or subscribers First Take has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to First Take?

These podcasts share a similar audience with First Take:

1. Get Up
2. Nightcap
3. First Things First
4. Club Shay Shay
5. Speakeasy

How many episodes of First Take are there?

First Take launched 16 years ago and published 229 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact First Take?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for First Take?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for First Take from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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What guests have appeared on First Take?

Recent guests on First Take include:

1. Brian Windhorst
2. Mina Kimes
3. Louis Riddick
4. Gerald McCoy
5. Jeff Saturday
6. Chris Russo
7. Kimberley A. Martin
8. Jordan Rodgers

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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