Stephen A. Smith might have stirred the pot—and raised eyebrows—after his fiery tirade against the New York Giants aired during the November 22 episode of First Take. His comments were directed at both the organization and ESPN personality Elle Duncan who had drawn some ire from Giants fans for mocking the former quarterback, Daniel Jones, during her segment, "Taking the Elle". But it turns out Smith's claims about the Giants complaining to ESPN were based on questionable sources.
During his rant, Smith took the Giants to task, saying, "The New York Giants, respectfully, shut the hell up. Y’all are awful as an organization. You won a Super Bowl in 2007, you won a Super Bowl in 2011; outside of those victories, the Giants have made the playoffs twice. They’ve won one playoff game." Smith's passionate plea highlighted the team's struggles—making it clear he thinks they don't have the standing to lodge complaints about media coverage.
But did the Giants actually complain? According to reports from The New York Post, nobody within the organization reached out to ESPN about Duncan's comments, contradicting Smith's assertions. Citing sources, the article pointed out the lack of any official complaints from the team. Despite Smith's dramatic flair on air, it appears his claims may not hold water.
Duncan had sparked controversy when she critiqued Jones's farewell press conference before his eventual release from the Giants after the organization decided to go in another direction. While she expressed gratitude for his contributions during his tenure, her humorous take on his emotional comments ruffled some feathers within the team and its loyal fanbase. On her segment, Duncan cracked jokes about the prepared speech Jones read off to the media. "Didn’t you go to Duke?" she asked incredulously. "You guys think he had this saved in his notes since like 2020? I could have saved you like 90 seconds." She gallantly encapsulated Jones's disappointing tenure, saying, "I’m sorry you paid me $108 million for one playoff win. And I look forward to reviving my career as Brock Purdy’s backup. The end."
Giants senior vice president of communications, Pat Hanlon, took to social media to express his displeasure about Duncan's jabs at Jones. According to Hanlon, Duncan's comments were "mind-boggling," implying they lacked sensitivity considering the challenges faced by the team. Although Hanlon didn’t directly name Duncan in his posts on X (formerly known as Twitter), he made clear his feelings about the ESPN host’s mocking tone, saying it constituted poor taste especially from someone affiliated with the network.
The back and forth over Jones intensified as Duncan appeared defiant about her commentary. It appears she is willing to stand by her opinions, asserting, "You want to call me disrespectful to Daniel Jones? Am I more disrespectful than the Giants making him a scout team safety?" It’s evident Duncan believes the criticism against her has veered off course, especially when comparing it to Jones’s waning prowess on the field and the Giants' biblical lack of recent success.
While Smith attempted to rally around Duncan during his outburst, claiming the Giants' organization is one of the worst, throwing shade at them as critics of her segment, the facts are less clear-cut. Smith emphasized the Giants’ recent failures and questioned their right to complain about media personalities who are simply doing their jobs. Nevertheless, the reported absence of any formal complaints undercuts his argument significantly.
While ESPN has declined to comment on the matter, it's clear the fallout from the segment and Smith's claims has reignited discussions on media accountability and the expectations placed on athletes. The saga also speaks volumes about how sports media navigates its relationships with both teams and athletes, especially when critiques of poor performance surface publicly.
What remains to be seen is how the Giants will respond to the growing scrutiny they face—not only from the media but also as they navigate the rest of the season after significant roster changes, including the release of Jones.
Beyond the heightened tensions, what causes media personalities to stir the pot? Is it simply for ratings, or is it born from sincerity? Duncan's unapologetic tone suggests there’s more than just audience engagement at play; it's about accountability—both of players and of organizations when they fail to meet the expectations set upon them.
The Giants are currently contending with bigger questions surrounding their future as the team’s performance remains lackluster, and with Duncan and Smith building tension around them, the spotlight is squarely on them. Fans and observers are likely to keep their eyes peeled as this drama continues to evolve and play out on screens and social media.
