Stephen A. Smith called New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye a liar, and now he’s willing to walk it back — a little bit.
Cam Newton labeled the Patriots “fool’s gold” last week on First Take, implying he doesn’t buy the 9-2 team as legitimate contenders in the AFC. Maye was asked about the comments during his weekly spot on WEEI in Boston, but the Patriots quarterback brushed it off, claiming he didn’t even know what show Newton was on. And Stephen A. Smith took that personally.
Smith could not understand how an active NFL quarterback could possibly survive without watching First Take enough to recognize Newton has been making part-time appearances on the show this season. After all, this is the one and only First Take we’re talking about! So, Smith called Maye a liar.
“[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.” – Stephen A. Smith pic.twitter.com/kaxxptSMpY
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 20, 2025
“He is also a liar,” Smith said of Maye on Thursday morning. “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 was widely chastised for the accusation, with many people questioning how he could be so self-absorbed to assume Maye considers First Take appointment television. But maybe Smith isn’t quite as self-absorbed as we all assumed. Because against all odds, he kinda sorta started to backtrack from calling Maye a liar when asked about it on his Mad Dog Sports Radio show on SiriusXM Friday afternoon.
“I was being facetious because it wasn’t that big of a deal,” Smith claimed. “In other words, Cam Newton is on national television. And your reaction was, ‘I don’t even know where he works.’ I just didn’t believe that. That’s all. I wasn’t calling him a liar about anything else. Just that he didn’t know where Cam works. But you are right, I don’t know Drake Maye, I’ve never spoken to him. Again, I was being facetious; I wasn’t being serious about that point. So, if people take it that way, sure, I can apologize for that, it’s no big deal. But I wasn’t being serious.”
Smith compared it to going on a rant about an NFL team during his radio show and having a listener call to complain about the rant while simultaneously alleging he didn’t listen to the show. The difference, however, is that in the scenario Smith created, the caller initiated the complaint about whatever it was Smith hypothetically said. In the case of Maye, he was presented and asked about Newton’s quote by a third party. So, it’s entirely possible that Maye may not have known about Newton on ESPN or Newton calling the Patriots “fool’s gold” until he was asked about it on WEEI.
“If people want me to apologize for that, that’s fine,” Smith continued. “I wasn’t serious about him lying. I don’t know whether he was lying or not. I just said, don’t tell me know you don’t know where Cam Newton was working. You don’t know he’s on First Take twice a week? I don’t believe that. I just don’t.
“For this particular issue, I was just being facetious. But I need you to understand something that’s very important for you to understand. I’m not here to make enemies. I’m not here to be disliked, but I don’t give a damn either. I say what I say. If I’m playing around like I was yesterday, that’s different. But if I rub you the wrong way from time to time, so be it…I don’t want to make enemies. I really don’t. I’m not trying to be hated. But I’m not here to ensure that doesn’t happen either.”
Smith probably would have been better off just leaning in and doubling down on this one. Because he didn’t sound facetious when he made the initial accusation about Maye on First Take. And while he said he’s willing to apologize in this follow-up, Smith didn’t really apologize. And while he said he wasn’t really accusing Maye of being a liar, Smith still claimed he doesn’t believe the Patriots quarterback was unaware about Newton being on First Take. So, what were you really being facetious about? Maybe Smith is just being facetious about being facetious.