After five years of commentating on ESPN's First Take with Stephen A. Smith and host Molly Qerim Rose, Max Kellerman departed the sports-oriented show in September 2021.

Why is Kellerman leaving First Take?

In an interview, he confirmed that he felt that the chemistry between them had stagnated to the point that he needed to make a change to freshen up the show. Since Stephen A. Smith is the face of First Take, if the two were not working together in tandem, it had to be Max Kellerman who had to depart, and he duly did.

How long is Max Kellerman's contract?

He signed a contract that will pay him more than $25 million over four years, according to Sports Illustrated's Richard Deitsch. While Bayless was the host who most consistently drove ratings with his hot takes, ESPN is refashioning the show again in Smith's image.