It's official. Max Kellerman will leave ESPN's First Take for a more expanded role on the network's radio and TV programming. According to a press release, Kellerman will join NFL Live analyst and Super Bowl Champion Keyshawn Johnson and NBA analyst Jay Williams on their signature morning show, now known as Keyshawn, JWill & Max. Kellerman will replace Zubin Mehenti, who had previously hosted Keyshawn, JWill & Zubin from its inception in August 2020. Mehenti will return to his role as anchor of ESPN's flagship show SportsCenter after returning from his medical leave. The revamped Keyshawn, JWill & Max will debut on September 7th from 6-10 a.m. ET. In addition to his new radio timeslot, Kellerman will also host an as yet unnamed new ESPN television series and will continue to helm his weekly boxing show, Max on Boxing on ESPN2.
Kellerman leaves First Take after five years at the debate desk opposite Stephen A. Smith where he helped extend the popularity of the show after Skip Bayless left to join FS1 in the fall of 2016. Bayless partnered with former NFL player Shannon Sharpe on the new hot take program Undisputed, which was modeled to rival First Take. However, First Take consistently beat Undisputed in the ratings and experienced further audience growth after moving from ESPN2 to main network ESPN. Smith reportedly signed a lucrative five-year deal worth $60 million to stay with ESPN in late 2019 which breaks down into $8 million per year as on-air talent, with an additional $4 million per year from a production agreement. As of now, ESPN has not announced a replacement for Kellerman on First Take or what the show's new format may look like but Front Office Sports suggested that Smith is not likely to have a daily debate partner. Instead, expect a rotating cast of ESPN personalities and guests in what has been dubbed 'Stephen A. vs the World.'
To fill the time the 2-4 p.m. ET timeslot previously occupied by the eponymous Max Kellerman Show on ESPN Radio since last August, midday show Bart and Hahn with Bart Scott and Alan Hahn will expand by an hour until 3 p.m. ET and Mike Golic Jr. will take over from 3-7 p.m. ET with new co-host Chris Canty.
Kellerman has hosted multiple ESPN properties during his time at the network. He is the original host of panel talk show Around the Horn, co-hosted the sports talk radio show Max & Marcellus, with Marcellus Wiley, on ESPNLA, and Sportsnation. Kellerman is a boxing expert who served as an analyst on ESPN's Friday Night Fights and provided color commentary for HBO World Championship Boxing and Boxing After Dark.
The New York native and Columbia grad got his start on public-access television cable TV as a teen with the original Max on Boxing.
Follow me on Twitter.