Terrell Owens has built a reputation for not being shy about expressing his opinions around the NFL. The Hall of Fame wide receiver was recently at it again when he took a shot at Stephen A. Smith. He did so in support of his former “First Take” co-host, Max Kellerman.
Terrell Owens Backs Max Kellerman in Shot Fired at Stephen A. Smith
Kellerman notoriously departed “First Take” in 2021, reportedly after Smith urged ESPN to remove him from the program. Smith has publicly admitted to being a part of the process that broke them apart, but Kellerman has been relatively silent on the topic for years.
This recently changed when he appeared on “The Bill Simmons Podcast” for an interview. Kellerman was open about their reported differences and praised himself in the process. Owens shared a clip of the interview on his X account, along with his own take on Smith.
“He knows he can’t hold a candle to Max,” exclaimed Owens.
He knows he can’t hold a candle to Max!!! 😂 https://t.co/IRzEMNwG8S
— Terrell Owens (@terrellowens) December 4, 2025
Kellerman took the stance that Smith no longer wanted him as a partner, suggesting it was due to his consistent winning of their debates. He explained that this is why he was no longer wanted as a co-host on the long-running ESPN show.
“If you’re doing a debate show, and you’re a competitive person, why would you want me as a partner? That’s bad … You want to go 15 rounds every day with Muhammad Kellerman? That’s just bad. It’s embarrassing,” stated Kellerman.
Kellerman is well known as an analyst in the boxing world, so it’s not surprising that he would use a Muhammad Ali reference when praising himself. Owens apparently agrees that he was the superior debater to Smith, who currently remains on the show and has appeared on ESPN with several more, some as a solo host and others with different co-hosts.
Owens has had his own feud with Smith over the past few years, so it’s not necessarily surprising that he would back Kellerman in this dispute. The legendary wide receiver has been no stranger to having public arguments with others in the media, including recently with former NFL players Michael Irvin and Cam Newton, among others.
His antics off the field may be questioned at times, but on the gridiron, he was one of the best wide receivers in NFL history. He is one of only three players in history to post career totals of over 15,000 yards and 150 touchdowns.
