Stephen A. Smith didn’t hold back when sharing his thoughts on Serena Williams’ surprise appearance during Kendrick Lamar’s 2025 Super Bowl halftime performance. The ESPN analyst questioned the tennis star’s decision to take part in the show, which quickly sparked a debate among his First Take cohosts.

Here’s what Stephen A. Smith said.

What did Stephen A. Smith say about Serena Williams?

Stephen A. Smith didn’t hold back while discussing Serena Williams’ unexpected Super Bowl halftime cameo.

During the February 10 episode of the First Take podcast, Smith reacted to Williams stepping onstage during Kendrick Lamar’s performance of “Not Like Us,” a diss track aimed at Drake.  Williams was rumored to have dated the rapper in the past and Smith questioned why she would involve herself in a moment seemingly directed at him. Smith said, “If I’m your husband, I’m thinking, ‘Why are you up there trolling him—trolling your ex?’” He went on to argue that if his wife was paying that much attention to a past relationship, he’d reconsider their marriage. (via E! News)

His cohosts quickly pushed back. Ryan Clark dismissed the idea, joking that anyone married to Serena Williams would be a “kept man” regardless. Shannon Sharpe also chimed in, reminding Smith that Williams’ husband, Alexis Ohanian, is a highly successful entrepreneur who built and sold Reddit for a fortune.

Although Alexis Ohanian didn’t respond to Stephen A. Smith’s remarks, he had nothing but praise for his wife’s Super Bowl appearance. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), he called Williams’ cameo a “pretty fantastic halftime show.” As for Williams, she seemed to enjoy her cameo. Wearing a blue outfit, she stepped onto the field and even recreated her iconic Crip Walk from the 2012 Olympics. Afterward, she shared a clip on Instagram and wrote, “Let’s go Super Bowl halftime??! I died a little!”

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