‘What he was saying was a lie’ Stephen A. Smith attacks John Harbaugh over Lamar Jackson’s comments on First Take’s comeback

STEPHEN A. Smith marked his return to First Take with a vicious fall on Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh.

The ESPN star lined up alongside host Molly Qerim and fellow analyst Harry Douglas on Monday’s panel after being on vacation since July 2.

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And Stephen A. lashed out at Harbaugh after his impassioned speech that Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson was being unfairly criticized for not making the Super Bowl.

“A lot of good things have been said about Lamar,” Harbaugh said Sunday.

“But there are a lot of things that are said and you just have to scratch your head and ask yourself, ‘What is this person thinking?”

“But we take it personally.”

Harbaugh says he can’t understand why Jackson has been receiving the same scrutiny since he was a freshman in high school.

“His entire life, Lamar Jackson was a guy who answered the same questions,” Harbaugh said.

“I’ve been talking since he was a child. Elementary school, high school, college, recruiting.

“The success he had in [NFL]again, it still appears.

“OK, now he’s still growing. He’s got a growth mindset. He’s going to get better and better, no doubt.

“But what does he need to do to prove himself to some people?”

Stephen A. was less than impressed with Harbaugh’s comments.

“First of all, I would appreciate it if he didn’t make up narratives because what he was saying was a lie,” Stephen A. said.

“Number two, I wish he would look in the mirror.

“John Harbaugh is known for being incredibly honest but respectful. Coach Harbaugh, what the hell are you talking about?

“What is this criticism and criticism of Lamar Jackson?

“There’s only one. You didn’t go to the Super Bowl — you didn’t win a Super Bowl championship.”

Stephen A. Smith’s journey through the media

STEPHEN A. Smith is now the face of ESPN and executive producer of First Take, having initially started working for the company in 2003.

Smith has held numerous roles at the network, including radio show host, contributions to SportsCenter and appearance on NBA Countdown.

He was a columnist for the Philadelphia Inquirer from 1994 to 2010.

He started as an NBA writer before becoming a general sports columnist.

Prior to that, Smith worked as a reporter at the Winston-Salem Journal, the Greensboro News and the New York Daily News.

Stephen A. then named the nine players who were Super Bowl champions and two-time NFL MVPs, including Tom Brady and Peyton Manning.

He then questioned why Jackson, a two-time MVP, wasn’t on the list.

“No one questions his ability,” added Stephen A..

“No one questions anything other than you not winning a Super Bowl.”

Stephen A. then offered more criticism of Harbaugh for his poor playoff record in recent years.

“Why have you only had three playoff wins in the last 11 years when at least the last five or six years you’ve had Lamar Jackson?” said the ESPN star.

“Why don’t you have more?”

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