WWE Eyes Stephen A. Smith Role In Wake Of McAfee Reaction

Stephen A. Smith is being seriously discussed for a larger role within WWE programming, with Dave Meltzer reporting that many of the same people internally who were unhappy with Pat McAfee’s WrestleMania 42 involvement are actively favorable to the ESPN personality. The reporting suggests the company sees Smith as a different kind of crossover fit, one whose presence wouldn’t disrupt long-running storylines the way McAfee’s role in the Cody Rhodes vs. Randy Orton program reportedly did.

Stephen A Smith Role In WWE Has Internal Support

“We haven’t seen anything with Stephen A. Smith yet, although, boy, has that name been talked about, and I know it’s serious talk,” Meltzer said on Wrestling Observer Radio. “Put it this way, a lot of the people who were not happy about Pat McAfee, in fact, are favourable to Stephen A. As far as internally, it goes.” The dynamic represents a notable shift in how WWE views celebrity involvement. McAfee’s insertion into the WrestleMania 42 main event storyline was viewed as overstepping by some inside the company, while Smith’s media platform and energy translate naturally to wrestling commentary and segment work.

Stephen A Smith ESPN Partnership Could Pay Off In Summer

Smith has already collaborated with WWE through the ESPN partnership. ESPN Unlimited has aired WWE pay-per-views in the United States since Wrestlepalooza in September 2025, and Smith was involved in WrestleMania 42 promotion. Danhausen cursed him in a viral pre-Mania segment, and Smith was booed while sitting in the crowd on Night One of WrestleMania 42. A report from WrestleVotes Radio on Fightful Select following WrestleMania noted that ESPN sources were “pleased and enthusiastic” about expanding Smith’s WWE involvement, with an expected payoff to his involvement reportedly pitched for summer 2026. The combination of ESPN’s enthusiasm and the internal WWE support suggests an on-air role is no longer a matter of if, but when.

Source: Wrestling Observer Radio.