Stephen A. Smith has accused critics of the so-called ‘black national anthem’ of threatening the ‘fabric’ of America – and compared the backlash to Donald Trump ‘hijacking’ the debate around Colin Kaepernick taking the knee.
Some NFL fans have called for a boycott of Sunday’s showdown between the Chiefs and the Eagles after it was revealed that ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’ will be sung before kickoff.
It is traditionally performed during the Super Bowl’s pregame festivities but has sparked huge controversy in recent years.
The NFL has confirmed that Grammy Award-winning singer Ledisi will perform the song – in front of President Donald Trump – shortly before Jon Batiste’s rendition of The Star-Spangled Banner on Sunday.
That prompted a backlash online but, in an interview with DailyMail.com in New Orleans, ESPN star Smith said: ‘I understand that society can be very polarizing at times, but the reality is that segments of our population have a right to be prideful about their culture, their people.’
He continued: ‘Everybody has a right to feel the way that they feel… if you’re not doing harm to anybody else, leave it be.
Stephen A. Smith has accused critics of the so-called ‘black national anthem’ of hypocrisy
Ledisi will perform the Black national anthem ahead of the Super Bowl in New Orleans Sunday
Smith compared the backlash to Donald Trump ‘hijacking’ the debate around Colin Kaepernick
The Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs meet in the Super Bowl in New Orleans
‘When we start telling people how to think and how to feel, even when they’re not harming anybody else? Now you’re touching on the American fabric.
‘That’s not what America is about. Freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom to think, to be a free thinker, that’s what makes America special, and that’s what we have to remember.’
Smith accused critics of the anthem of hypocrisy. ‘We have to be consistent with who we complain about – when the Jewish community tells us what they’re passionate about and what they care about, non-Jewish people don’t try to tell them how to feel,’ he said.
‘Well, black people have a right to feel the way that they feel – about whether there’s a black national anthem or anything… as long as it’s not something that’s harmful to America, the nation itself or to any segment of our population, what’s the problem?’
Trump confirmed on Tuesday that he will be at the Superdome in New Orleans this weekend, becoming the first sitting President ever to attend the Super Bowl.
The NFL has long been a vehicle for political debate, from 49ers star Colin Kaepernick kneeling during the national anthem back in 2016, to players doing ‘the Trump dance’ before and after the 2024 election.
At Super Bowl LVII in 2023, Republican politician and long-time Trump loyalist Kari Lake made headlines when she refused to stand for the black anthem.
After it was performed at last year’s Super Bowl, former Florida congressman Matt Gaetz claimed: ‘They’re desecrating America’s National Anthem by playing something called the “Black National Anthem.”‘
Andra Day performed ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’ at the Super Bowl in Vegas last season
Kari Lake was spotted refusing to stand as the black national anthem was played back in 2023
On Wednesday, Smith brought up Kaepernick’s controversial protest, claiming Trump ‘hijacked the narrative’ over the quarterback, who has not played in the NFL since 2016.
‘What (was) he doing? He’s not interfering with the 60 minutes. He is taking a knee during the national anthem,’ the ‘First Take’ host said.
‘The president at the time – who’s the president now, the 45th president of the United States – which was Donald Trump, hijacked the narrative because it was in his interest.
‘I am the person that Donald Trump called in 2014 when he wanted to purchase the Buffalo Bills. He the price tag was $1.4 billion. Reportedly, he had about $1.1 billion.
‘His exact words to me were – excuse my language: “If them motherf***ers get in my way – meaning the NFL owners – I’m gonna get them all back. I’m gonna run for president.”
‘Those are his exact words. They didn’t let the sale go through, and he ran for president. The rest is history. So what I’m saying is: that that’s how he felt.’
Smith continued: ‘The reason why I bring up the whole national anthem with him hijacking the narrative is because…. before Colin Kaepernick took a knee during the national anthem, Marshawn Lynch would sit on coolers, or on the bench, eating a banana. No one said a word. Why are you tripping over Colin Kaepernick?’
The ESPN star insisted America is not made up of ‘one monolithic group’. ‘Hispanics are different from Jews, Jews are different from blacks, blacks are different from whites, etc, etc,’ he said. ‘Let everybody be themselves. Just don’t harm anybody else.’
Smith made his name in sports media but he has become increasingly vocal on political issues since November’s election, when Trump beat Kamala Harris to secure a return to the White House.
Smith has more support than several big-name Democratic presidential hopefuls, a poll said
Voters were asked who they would vote for if the 2028 Democratic primary was held today
The ESPN host recently shocked Bill Maher’s audience with his blunt verdict on why Trump won a second term in the Oval Office and why he feels like a ‘damn fool’ for supporting Harris.
Smith’s comments sparked questions over whether he could make a run for office and a recent poll revealed that he has more support than several big-name Democrat presidential hopefuls.
John McLaughlin – Trump’s chief pollster – asked 1,000 general election voters: ‘Thinking ahead to the 2028 Democratic primary election for president, if that election were held today among the following candidates, for whom would you vote?’
Two percent said they would choose the ‘First Take’ host – more than the likes of Beto O’Rourke, who ran for the nomination in 2020, and JB Pritzker, the governor of Illinois (both one percent).
Remarkably, Smith polled only one percentage point behind Tim Walz – Harris’ vice-presidential pick – and Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro.
On Wednesday, the 57-year-old played down the prospect of running for office. But did leave the door open for a possible presidential run in 2028.
When asked what he’ll be doing in four years’ time, Smith said: ‘I’ll still be doing sports, but also my voice will not fade from the political landscape.
‘Rather than talk about me being an elected official or a runner for the president of the United States, how about if I’m somebody with a voice as strong as (commentators) Sean Hannity’s, as strong as Mark Levin’s, as strong as Rachel Maddow. How about that?
The ESPN star was adamant he would beat every candidate on the poll including Kamala Harris
‘Because that’s more plausible. However, I will confess, like I said, I have no desire to do this, but assuming that I’m well off, that I have lots of money, and money is no longer a concern, if the American people came to me and looked at me and said “Yo, man, we want you to run for office”, and I had a legitimate shot to win the presidency of the United States, I’m not gonna lie. I’ll think about that.
‘But I gotta have my money. I’m not gonna go to the White House broke. I’m not gonna do that. I gotta have my money. I gotta have my home. I gotta have my financial situation completely taken care of. I have no concerns if that happens for me.
‘If they told me I had a legitimate, bonafide shot to win the presidency of the United States of America, I would entertain it.
‘Because the part that I’m not joking about is I believe I could beat every candidate on that poll. Every candidate that they mentioned, from Kamala Harris right on down to (Pete) Buttigieg and to Tim Walz. I’d beat all of them. I do believe that. I really do.’
