Report: Max Kellerman is Going Off a Cliff in Short Order

Harry How. Getty Images.

NY Post - It is Stephen A’s world and Max Kellerman soon won’t be part of it.

Kellerman is expected to be removed from ESPN’s “First Take,” the show in which he and Stephen A. Smith verbally battle each other for hot-take supremacy, sources confirmed.

This is not the end of Kellerman at ESPN, as he is likely headed for the network’s morning national radio show to be teamed with Keyshawn Johnson, according to sources. …

Kellerman is also likely to have an afternoon TV show with 2 p.m. the anticipated time slot, according to sources. ESPN currently runs “Jalen & Jacoby” and “Highly Questionable” from 2-3 p.m. Those shows could be potentially moved to ESPN2. Kellerman already does a boxing-focused program.

Front Office Sports first reported that Kellerman could be out from “First Take.” ESPN declined comment.

On “First Take,” ESPN does not plan on replacing Kellerman with anyone in particular. Instead, a rotation of verbal sparring partners will likely make the short walk over each morning from another ESPN show, “Get Up,” which is located in the same Seaport studios.

It's bad karma to be glad some loses a job, unless they've really done you dirty. Max Kellerman hasn't hurt anyone. Unless you count the years he's taken off Stephen A.'s life with his absurdly scorching, kiln-fired hot takes. And with his even hotter wet farts:

Both of which have to be the reason he's being forced out of "First Take." Smith is far and above the biggest star at the World Wide Leader, and it's not even close. He gets to decide who he's going to be staring at incredulously across that desk every morning. If he wanted Kellerman, he'd have Kellerman. But he clearly would rather have anybody - or in this case, practically everybody - than Max. 

At least Kellerman gets to keep A job at ESPN. But make no mistake, this is a huge demotion. Now that "SportsCenter" is a shadow of its past glory, and "Get Up" has never really found an audience, "First Take" is their number one property. And going from that every day to the middle of the afternoon is the equivalent of getting sent down to AAA and getting bussed from Worcester to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. 

And oh, what irony. We're just a little over five years since Cliff Kellerman gave us this iconic moment. 

Since that storied day a half decade ago, there have been five Super Bowls. Tom Brady has led his team to four of them, won three, and was the MVP each time. 

He's also:

--Made three Pro Bowls

--Was named All Pro

--Was awarded a league MVP

--Led the league in passing yards once

--Has thrown 153 touchdowns and 41 interceptions, an average of 30.6 TDs and 8.2 INTs per season

--Defeated MVPs Matt Ryan, Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees and Patrick Mahomes (twice) in the postseason

--In his first season in the conference, won as many NFC championship games as Ryan, Rodgers and Brees have in their careers 

And now is returning for another season in Tampa, with the Bucs returning all 22 of their starters, something no Super Bowl champion has ever done. 

So here we find ourselves, at C-Day plus five years and change. Brady went off the cliff but just kept walking in air like Road Runner, and it's Kellerman who's plummeting to the bottom of ESPN Canyon.

And so goes just another usurper who dared to challenge the supremacy of the king, tossed upon the ash heap of history, while the GOAT continues his reign without end. Thoughts and prayers are with Cliff in this difficult time. 

I'd suggest Patriots fans contact him at @maxkellerman to express their support, but he has made it abundantly clear he thinks we're all morons and can't stand hearing from us. So follow your conscience. Again, that's @maxkellerman.