Stephen A. Smith loses it when Terrell Owens says Max Kellerman ‘seems blacker than you’

“You ain’t the only brother out there that’s in the streets.”

ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith has faced plenty of criticism this past week for how he responded to Colin Kaepernick’s handling of an NFL-organized workout in Atlanta last Saturday.

Kaepernick opted to hold his own open workout at a high school after the NFL prohibited outside cameras from filming at the Falcons facility and urged him to a sign a conspicuously broad waiver. When Kaepernick’s workout came to a close, Smith joined a number of prominent media members in carrying water for the league.

That prompted co-host Max Kellerman to shut down Smith’s pro-NFL stance on First Take. But on Thursday, Hall of Fame NFL receiver Terrell Owens also went after Smith for the Kaepernick criticism. Owens told Smith that Kellerman “seemed blacker” than Smith for supporting Kaepernick, and the ESPN personality wasn’t happy with the remark.

Smith said in response:

“With all due respect, my brother, Imma check you right now. You don’t cross the line. You don’t cross the line. First of all, like I said, you, Colin Kaepernick, Eric Reid, any of y’all that want to debate me in front of black people and talk about what’s best for black people, name the time and place — I’ll show up.

“I don’t want to hear … What’s the definition of blackness? Is there a definitive definition of blackness? Why are you giving the impression that because I don’t march lockstep with every single thing that Colin Kaepernick wants, OK, excuse me … But you just sat up there and used an expression, ‘More blacker.’ Excuse me. I’m from Hollis, Queens, New York City. You ain’t the only brother out there that’s in the streets. I’m in the streets everyday. So, let’s be very clear, and you damn well know that’s the truth. And so my point to you is this, again, I’m not going to disrespect you. I’m not going to go that route. But based just on what you just said, this is supposedly Stephen A. and T.O. going at one another. Did you know that I invited Colin Kaepernick to give him this platform for the entire two hours? … The floor is yours. I also gave that invitation to Eric Reid. I know people at other networks that has given Colin Kaepernick that same thing. They disagreed with him to some degree. Are you questioning their blackness too?”

Owens responded that he didn’t mean the comment as disrespect, which Smith didn’t exactly buy.

Smith had clashed with Eric Reid over the weekend on social media and carried much of that same commentary into the week’s First Take telecasts.

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