ESPN host Stephen A. Smith is defending comments he made in the aftermath of Serena Williams’ surprise appearance at the Super Bowl Halftime Show.  

Williams made a surprise appearance in Kendrick Lamar’s performance, dancing during the Drake diss track ‘Not Like Us’. The 42-year-old’s involvement was significant because she dated Drake in 2011.

That led to Smith wondering why the tennis icon would be ‘up there trolling your ex’ and that ‘If I’m married and my wife is going to join trolling her ex, go back to his ᴀss, ’cause clearly you don’t belong with me.’

Smith received plenty of backlash for this comment – not only on social media, but on other television shows like The View. 

The longtime ESPN pundit responded to one comment on social media, which read: ‘A 57 year old UNMARRIED man with a receding hairline who has never BEEN married mind you, saying he would divorce our greatest living athlete’ 

Smith quote tweeted it and said, ‘Please go back and look at exactly what I said. I was talking overall from a man’s perspective – highlighting what most men would think.

Please go back and look at exactly what I said. I was talking overall from a man’s perspective — highlighting what most men would think. I didn’t utter a single disrespectful word about Serena. No issues with folks getting upset of literal serious stuff one’s pissed about. This… https://t.co/JtKlUZs15R

— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) February 12, 2025

Stephen A. Smith is defending himself from trolls after his comments about Serena Williams

Williams had a surprise cameo in Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime performance

Smith questioned why Williams wanted to get back at an ex now she’s married to Alexis Ohanian

‘I didn’t utter a single disrespectful word about Serena. No issues with folks getting upset of literal serious stuff one’s pissed about. This doesn’t qualify peeps. Come on. We were joking around on @FirstTake. Damn y’all! It’s not that serious.’

On First Take, fellow analyst Ryan Clark defended Williams, saying: ‘If you’re with Serena Williams you’re going to be a kept man anyway.’

Williams is married to Reddit founder Alexis Ohanian, who has an estimated worth of $150million. They have two daughters together.

Despite Smith’s remarks, Williams seemed to be lapping up the attention from her performance on Monday, sharing multiple videos on Instagram of her dancing.

Moments before the halftime show, Williams took to X to defend Taylor Swift after the singer was roundly booed by fans at Caesars Superdome when she appeared on the jumbotron for the first time during the Super Bowl.

‘I love you Taylor Swift, don’t listen to those booo!!’ Williams wrote.

Swift didn’t have nearly as much reason to celebrate on the night, with her boyfriend Travis Kelce and the Kansas City Chiefs getting beat 40-22 by the Philadelphia Eagles.

It left Kansas City’s hopes of a three-peat in ruins and Kelce must now decide whether he keeps on playing in the NFL.

Whatever decision he settles on, the 35-year-old тιԍнт end is expected to announce it before the start of free agency on March 12.