https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWgPh8JlOXs&feature=youtu.be
On Friday’s First Take, Stephen A. Smith made remarks that spawned controversy in the wake of the NFL’s decision to suspend Baltimore Ravens’ running back Ray Rice for two games following charges of assaulting his then fiancée, now wife, a few months ago.
This morning on the show, Smith offered an apology and host Cari Champion also shared her thoughts on the matter (video above).
The following is ESPN’s statement on the matter:
“We will continue to have constructive dialogue on this important topic. Stephen’s comments last Friday do not reflect our company’s point of view. As his apology demonstrates, he recognizes his mistakes and has a deeper appreciation of our company values.”
UPDATE – Tuesday, July 29, 2014, 4:35 p.m. ET: “ESPN announced today that Stephen A. Smith will not appear on First Take or ESPN Radio for the next week. He will return to ESPN next Wednesday.”