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Sage Steele will never forget the text message Stephen A. Smith sent her during one of the most pivotal moments of her career. On a recent episode of The Sage Steele Show, the two former ESPN colleagues discussed the deep bond they share and the message that meant everything when she risked everything to speak her truth.
🔥 Quick Facts
- The Text: Smith asked Steele “Why? How does this help you?” after her Wall Street Journal statement became public in 2020.
- The Issue: Steele was excluded from ESPN’s “Time for Change” racial justice special in June 2020 after complaints from black colleagues.
- Her Response: Steele defied pressure to stay silent, saying the issue was bigger than principle than her ESPN career.
- Steele’s Takeaway: She recognized Smith’s text as proof of genuine friendship and concern for her family’s wellbeing.
A Friendship Tested During Major ESPN Controversy
Sage Steele and Stephen A. Smith shared nearly two decades of ESPN history together. When Steele spoke out about being excluded from the network’s critical racial justice special in June 2020, she took an enormous personal risk. The special, titled “Time for Change: We Won’t Be Defeated,” was designed to explore Black athletes’ experiences with injustice following George Floyd’s death. Despite being biracial, Steele was not invited to participate in the program.
According to reporting from The Wall Street Journal, colleagues Elle Duncan and Michael Eaves had complained that Steele wouldn’t be accepted by the Black community. The decision sparked anger and confusion, leading Steele to take action.
Sage Steele won’t forget Stephen A. Smith’s text when she risked her ESPN career
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When Steele Decided to Speak Out No Matter The Cost
Steele gave a statement to The Wall Street Journal, saying: “Trying to define who is and isn’t black enough creates more of a divide in this country.” This public statement was bold, risky, and deeply personal. She knew full well that speaking up could damage her relationship with ESPN executives and colleagues.
On her podcast, Steele recalled the moment she went on air after the article dropped: “I went on the air shaking, knowing what was probably happening behind the scenes.” Within hours, she received a text from Smith asking simply: “Why? How does this help you?” The message struck deep. Here was someone she respected questioning her decision.
What Smith’s Text Really Meant
| Element | Context |
| Text Message | “Why? How does this help you?” |
| Real Motivation | Smith wanted to protect Steele’s future and family |
| Context | Steele was going through a private divorce at the time |
| Smith’s Fear | That her enemies would use her words against her for years |
When Smith later explained his motivations on the podcast, it became clear he wasn’t questioning her principles. He was thinking about her family, her children, and her next 5 to 10 years of life. At the time, Steele was going through an extremely painful private divorce. Smith knew this. He was worried that people would weaponize her statement against her for years to come.
“I’m thinking about the next 5-10 years of your life, your family, your children. They ain’t going to think about that because their sorry asses, whoever those people may be that are rooting against you, they’re not thinking about you. They’re thinking about the moment you’re going to provide for them to have fodder to talk about you.”
— Stephen A. Smith, ESPN Host and Friend
Why Steele Never Forgot Those Words
Steele later reflected on the text, saying she understood exactly what Smith was doing. “I knew that you wouldn’t do it if you didn’t care about me as a human being,” she told him on the podcast. For Steele, the moment revealed the deepest form of friendship. Smith wasn’t trying to silence her. He was trying to protect her from enemies who would use her bravery against her.
Steele ultimately decided that the matter was bigger than her job, bigger than her safety, and bigger than her career. “It is bigger than money,” she explained. “It is about principle at some point.” That commitment to principle ended up defining her entire legacy at ESPN and beyond.
What Happened Next Changed Their Careers Forever
Steele left ESPN in August 2023 after both sides settled a lawsuit following her removal from the air in October 2021 for comments about the network’s COVID-19 vaccine policy. She released a statement: “I have decided to leave so I can exercise my first amendment rights more freely.” The woman who had worked at ESPN since 2007 walked away to reclaim her voice.
Today, Steele hosts The Sage Steele Show, a platform where she continues to speak freely. Smith remains with ESPN, hosting on First Take. Yet their friendship endured through controversy, separation, and completely different career paths. That text message in 2020 became a symbol of real friendship in an industry built on shallow connections.
