The Stephen A. Smith and Terrell Owens beef is heating up as Smith has dropped bombshell accusations that the wide receiver tried to sue him following an on-air confrontation in 2019.
The athlete and the journalist reignited their longstanding beef last weekend when Owens re-shared a video on social media saying Smith’s former cohost, Max Kellerman, was Blacker than Smith.
A fan posted a video that implied that Smith didn’t like Kellerman because of Owens’ comments, to which Owens replied, “FACTS!!!!!!!!!” This caused Smith to take offense, referring to Owens as a “sorry ass” multiple times.
Stephen A. Smith claims that Terrell Owens tried to sue him after the two reignited their beef. (Photo: @terrellowens @stephenasmith/ Instagram)
Owens did not back down. He continued to go at it with Smith on social media as their mutual acquaintances started to call for peace. Smith’s new co-host Shannon Sharpe and former NFL star Chad Johnson expressed their disappointment with the internet beef on their new show “NightCap with Unc and Ocho.”
“This is something that I believe we can handle behind closed doors,” said Sharpe.
“I want them two gentlemen, man, to sit down, and hash out they differences and just let bygones be bygones,” added Johnson.
Another one of Smith’s longtime rivals, Kyrie Irving, stepped in to stop the violence. In a message shared on X, the point guard said, “@stephenasmith can y’all Call each other like Grown Mature Men and Clear the air without all of the extra social media back and forth? Get what you need off your chest and move on. #Therearemoreimportantthingstodo Chief Hélà.”
Smith agreed with Irving and said that he would “stand down,” but on a recent episode of his “Stephen A. Smith Show” podcast the ESPN journalist set aside over 27 minutes to go at the Hall of Fame wide receiver again.
Smith broke down the entire situation, starting with him not vibing with Kellerman as a co-host, and then going into what reignited his animosity with T.O.
Who are you to talk about Blackness,” Smith asked. “Are you, Terrell Owens, a model of what a Black man should be?”
He then held up papers saying that although he had “files” on Owens, he wouldn’t dive into his personal business. “He knows I wouldn’t go there.” Smith said. “I wouldn’t do that people.”
In the segment, Smith confirmed that he isn’t running from Owens and that the two aren’t cordial anymore.
“I just saw you in Colorado,” said Smith. “We were there together at the game, for Colorado/Nebraska. We were within a few feet of one another. You ain’t say nothin’ to me, and I ain’t say anything to you, and we ain’t ever gonna talk again, and that’s fine. I won’t miss you.”
Smith then shared what really formed the divide between the two.
“We stopped talking because after you saw that hit from Max Kellerman, Terrell Owens tried to sue me,” he revealed.
“He had lawyers contact ESPN who obviously contacted me to try and sue me. Needless to say, it was laughable, it never went anywhere, he wasn’t getting a damn dime which he was hoping to get,” Smith continued.
He then went on to imply that Owens may have had money problems at the time.
“Why he would get lawyers involved LOOKING FOR MONEY? I wonder why, y’all speculate about that,” the journalist claimed.
RELATED: Stephen A. Smith and Terrell Owens Rekindle Old Beef That Crosses the Line
Viewers called Smith out for the way he went about addressing his animosity with Owens on his show.
“Opening with Terrell Owens crying when it has absolutely nothing to do with his opening point is Villain Petty material.”
“This dude is the ultimate Shade Thrower. SO PASSIVE AGGRESSIVE”
“no time for TO, but I will do about an hour on TO.”
“no time for TO,” but I will do about an hour on TO.
— James (@RJames0302) September 19, 2023
Smith did not specify what the suit was about, but he did say that Owens alleged that he took “an off-the-record conversation and publicized it.” Owens alluded to this in one of the posts he made during the heat of their X beef.
“You’re mad because of the advice of my attorney after we filed against ESPN because on air without my consent you shared our text conversation,” claimed Owens.
This is not an uncommon thing for Smith to do, as he does occasionally reveal text messages that he has received from people in the sports industry to make/prove his points.
