ESPN release statement over real reasons Molly Qerim abruptly quit First Take and left network after 19 years

ESPN have released a statement over the real reason Molly Qerim abruptly left First Take and the network.

Qerim spent 19 years at ESPN and a decade hosting First Take.

Instagram / @mollyqerim

Molly Qerim will leave her role with ESPN’s First Take at the end of the year[/caption]

Instagram @mollyqerim

ESPN are yet to announce Molly Qerim’s replacement[/caption]

She took to social media last week to confirm her exit, but she will remain on the show for the remainder of the year.

Sources told The US Sun that Fox have offered Qerim a $2 million contract for three years.

ESPN are yet to announce her replacement, but has said they will trial presenters over the coming months.

Shae Cornette is currently being touted as the favourite to take over, but a number of names are in the mix.

Speaking to The Athletic, ESPN President of Content Burke Magnus discussed his surprise at Qerim’s decision to leave.

He said, “Molly Qerim is a wonderful person and an unbelievable teammate and colleague.

“There was a couple dimensions to this. One, is obviously we were in a renewal conversation.

“Two, is 10 years to do something like that is a long time. 

“I’m not going to speak for her, but I think there was a feeling that she wants to do other things.

“And successfully being on a top show like that for a decade qualifies as maybe I can turn the page and do something else.

“We tried to have her do other things and to redo that agreement.

“It honestly became less about that, and more about, in my opinion, her wanting to do and explore other things.

“It ended up being easier for her to make a clean break entirely.”

ESPN had already decided to move Qerim on from First Take, but were looking to keep her on other shows.

Magnus continued, “She was going to come off First Take either way and that was something [where] we had already crossed that bridge.

“So it was from our perspective much more about what else could she be doing, how could we make her more versatile, get her involved in different things?

“That’s what we were trying to do.

“I read a lot of stuff on X [on Tuesday]. There’s no controversy here. There’s no shoe that’s going to drop.

“She’s an awesome person. You know, it’s business. You try your best and we just weren’t totally aligned.

“I totally respect her interest, in rather than going into a less defined situation, to make a clean break and try to do other things outside of ESPN.”