First Take

ESPN, Stephen A. Smith, Shae Cornette

New York Knicks

Lebron James

San Antonio Spurs

Jalen Brunson

Victor Wembanyama

NBA

Oklahoma City Thunder

Philadelphia 76ers

Dallas Cowboys

Jaylen Brown

Los Angeles Rams

College Football

Boston Celtics

NBA Finals

Nba Playoffs

Green Bay Packers

Los Angeles Lakers

Giannis Antetokounmpo

World Cup

Jalen Hurts

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

9.1k ratings

Publishes	Daily	Episodes	229	Founded	15 years ago
Number of Listeners		Category	Sports

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Guests Hosts Reviews Charts Talking Points

Latest Episodes

Hour 2: How Critical is Sunday's Game for the Cowboys?

First Take Resumes as the Dallas Cowboys look to avoid going 0-2 for the first time since 2010. Dallas takes on the feisty Commanders who look to bounce back from their close week one loss to the Eagles. Do we have confidence in Dallas to pull throug... more

18 Sep 2026 • 46 min

Hour 1: Are the Bills the Team to Beat in the AFC?

First Take Begins with a breakdown of Thursday Night Football's matchup between the Bills and Lions. Josh Allen and the Bills offense shined for the second week in a row as they put up 41 points on a struggling Lions defense. Are the Bills the best t... more

18 Sep 2026 • 47 min

Hour 2: Whose Offense is More Concerning: Steelers or Patriots?

First Take Resumes as the crew touches on two teams in week one who struggled to put points on the board and did not impress anyone. Should we be worried more about the Patriots or the Steelers offense? Next 6-time Grammy Award nominee, Kenny Chesney... more

17 Sep 2026 • 48 min

Hour 1: Is it a Mistake for Joe Burrow to Play if he isn't 100%?

First Take Begins with some big QB injuries. LSU may be going into their biggest game against Ole Miss WITHOUT Sam Leavitt as Lane Kiffin mysteriously listed him as doubtful late last night. In the NFL, Joe Burrow may be dealing with some back issues... more

17 Sep 2026 • 46 min

Key Facts

Accepts Guests

Accepts Sponsors

Contact Information

Podcast Host

Number of Listeners

Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Barry Melrose

ESPN NHL analyst, memorialized during the segment

ESPN

Episode: Hour 1: How Much is the Patriots Loss on Drake Maye?

Myles Garrett

NFL quarterback? actually NFL star mentioned in discussion

Cleveland Browns

Episode: Hour 2: How will Aaron Rodgers be Viewed if the Steelers Miss the Playoffs?

Peter Schrager

Guest analyst introducing Big Day segment

ESPN/FOX/various media appearances

Episode: Hour 1: Which Team Will Make a Bigger Statement with a Win on Wednesday, Seattle or New England?

Michael Lombardi

Former NFL coach and GM, NFL commentator

NFL/ESPN contributor

Episode: Hour 2: Is Alabama Closer to a National Title or Irrelevancy?

Chris Fowler

Sports broadcaster and play-by-play announcer for ABC/ESPN

ESPN

Episode: Hour 1: Is Lane Kiffin's Pursuit of NFL Players Embarrassing for LSU?

Donte Whitner

11-year NFL veteran safety; Pro Bowler

Former NFL player

Episode: Hour 1: Will You Be Surprised If Tua Isn't Week 1 Starter?

Field Yates

Fantasy football expert introduced on-air

ESPN Fantasy / ESPN

Episode: Hour 2: Another Browns Blunder??

Jason McCourty

Episode: Hour 1: What Are Your Thoughts on Deshaun Watson's Apology?

Booger McFarlane

Episode: Hour 1: What Are Your Thoughts on Deshaun Watson's Apology?

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

Trash show
Terrible show
Apple Podcasts
1
PaulSeal1
United Statesa month ago
To much yelling!
It’s hard to listen to now. Steven is only yelling. If you want to listen to a good sports podcast listen to almost athletes.
Apple Podcasts
4
Davobavo1235
United States2 months ago
Please upload Quicker
The uploads are inconsistent.
Apple Podcasts
5
Daniel B Swartz
United States2 months ago
No upload
Episodes not uploading did they stop
Apple Podcasts
4
Cgzdub
United States2 months ago
Less Perk
Still love the show Steven is still Steven and the formula works but jay williams is terrible, so many better options except perk who is dumb arrogant and contrived all at the same time.
Apple Podcasts
3
Caz-714
United States3 months ago

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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	#73	United States/Popular Podcasts
Spotify	#44	United States/Sports
Apple Podcasts	#66	United States/Sports
Apple Podcasts	#119	Canada/Sports
Apple Podcasts	#176	Australia/Sports
Apple Podcasts	#32	Saudi Arabia/Sports

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Hour 1: Should The SEC Expel LSU?

Q: Who wins tonight and why?

Seattle is favored to win due to home-field advantage and the Seahawks' current form, though the Patriots could steal a big win if they execute well in Seattle's loud environment.

Hour 1: Was the Clippers Punishment too Soft?

Q: Shams, what more can you tell us about the Clippers and Kawhi's punishment up to this point?

Shams Charania provides a broader update on the investigation's status, affirming the gravity of the charges and the complexity of the evidence, while noting the difference between what was privately discussed and what was publicly announced, emphasizing procedural aspects like arbitration and the lack of an appeal for Ballmer.

Hour 1: Deshaun Watson Named Browns Starting QB

Q: What led to the decision to name Watson the starter despite recent controversy?

Panelists attribute it to a combination of health, perceived preparedness from Watson in camp, and the organization's assessment of what gives them the best chance in week one, despite fan backlash.

Hour 2: Is Brown's QB Race Still a Debate?

Q: Is it still a race between Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders after one preseason game?

The panel largely agrees the race remains open but leans toward giving Shedeur more opportunity if his week two performance continues to show improvement and pace with the rest of the team.

THE BETRAYAL OF SHOHEI OHTANI: Episode 1

Q: When you were first told that Ohtani might be involved in some kind of betting scandal, what was your initial reaction?

Shock, followed by a careful reassessment of everything observed about Ohtani, as I wondered who might be involved and how deep the connections could go.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
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.

Where can I find podcast stats for First Take?

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How many subscribers and views does First Take have?

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Which podcasts are similar to First Take?

These podcasts share a similar audience with First Take:

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

How many episodes of First Take are there?

First Take launched 15 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?

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What guests have appeared on First Take?

Recent guests on First Take include:

1. Barry Melrose
2. Myles Garrett
3. Peter Schrager
4. Michael Lombardi
5. Chris Fowler
6. Donte Whitner
7. Field Yates
8. Jason McCourty

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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