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The A-List Allegiance: Unmasking Stephen A. Smith's Favorite NFL Team And His Vicious Rivalry

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For a man whose career is built on loud, passionate, and often controversial takes, Stephen A. Smith’s personal sports allegiances are a source of constant curiosity for millions of viewers. While his loyalty to New York teams in other major sports is well-documented, the question of which NFL franchise holds his heart—and which one draws his eternal ire—is a topic that remains front and center, especially as the December 2025 NFL season heats up. The answer is definitive, yet it comes with a crucial, highly entertaining caveat that fuels one of sports media's greatest rivalries.

The truth is that the ESPN personality, known for his roles on *First Take* and *SportsCenter*, is not a fan of the local New York football teams—the Giants or the Jets. Instead, his NFL loyalty lies far from the Bronx, the city where he was born and raised. His favorite team is an iconic franchise defined by hard-nosed football, deep history, and six Lombardi Trophies: the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Stephen A. Smith: Full Biography and Career Profile

Stephen Anthony Smith, known universally as Stephen A., is one of the most recognizable and highest-paid sports media personalities in the world. His career trajectory from a print journalist to a multimedia superstar is a testament to his unique, bombastic style.

  • Full Name: Stephen Anthony Smith
  • Born: October 14, 1967
  • Birthplace: The Bronx, New York City
  • Alma Mater: Winston-Salem State University (HBCU)
  • Early Career: Began his journalism career covering high school sports, later working for the New York Daily News and the Philadelphia Inquirer, where he became a prominent beat writer for the Philadelphia 76ers and Allen Iverson.
  • Current Roles: Host and executive producer of ESPN's *First Take*; Analyst on *SportsCenter*; Host of the podcast *Know Mercy with Stephen A. Smith*; Author of the *New York Times* best-selling memoir, *Straight Shooter: A Memoir of Second Chances and First Takes*.
  • Key Collaborators: Max Kellerman, Skip Bayless, Shannon Sharpe, Molly Qerim.

The Surprising Story Behind Stephen A.’s Steelers Fandom

Given his deep New York roots and his passionate allegiance to the New York Knicks (NBA) and the New York Yankees (MLB), many assume his football loyalty would be with the Giants or the Jets. This is a common misconception that Stephen A. Smith has repeatedly corrected, making his support for the Pittsburgh Steelers all the more unique.

The Franco Harris Connection

The primary and most cited reason for Smith's allegiance to the Steelers dates back to his childhood and a connection with one of the franchise's greatest legends. Smith has often credited the late, great running back Franco Harris as the catalyst for his fandom. The powerful, charismatic running style and the overall dominance of the Steelers dynasty in the 1970s—a team that won four Super Bowls in six years—captured his imagination as a young boy in New York.

This history is critical because it establishes his fandom as authentic and long-standing, not a modern bandwagon jump. He has proudly worn the black and gold for decades, often discussing the team's prospects and woes on air, which provides a rare glimpse of him as a genuine fan rather than just an analyst.

Why Not the New York Teams?

Smith has been very clear that he has no emotional investment in the New York football teams. He has been outspoken about the struggles of the Jets and has shown little enthusiasm for the Giants. His lack of local NFL allegiance allows him to maintain a level of analytical distance when discussing those teams, but his passion for the Steelers is undeniable. This is a key part of his personal brand: a New Yorker through and through, but a Steelers fan when it comes to the gridiron.

The Real Reason Stephen A. Hates the Dallas Cowboys

While his love for the Steelers is a core part of his NFL identity, his legendary, almost theatrical, hatred for the Dallas Cowboys is arguably more famous. This animosity is a cornerstone of his television persona and has become a staple of the *First Take* show, often leading to viral, high-energy segments with co-hosts like Shannon Sharpe.

It’s Not the Team, It’s the Fans

In a surprising twist, Smith has clarified on numerous occasions that his animosity is not fundamentally directed at the Cowboys players or the organization itself, but rather at the team's immense and often boastful fanbase. He has labeled the Cowboys fanbase as "disgusting" and "nauseating" due to their perceived arrogance and their tendency to declare that "this is our year" even when the team has a history of underperforming in the playoffs.

This rivalry is a carefully curated and highly entertaining dynamic. Every Cowboys loss is a holiday for Stephen A. Smith, and his post-game rants have become must-watch television. The persistent failure of the team to reach the Super Bowl since the 1990s provides him with endless material to mock the "Cowboys Nation."

Entities in the Cowboys Rivalry

The entities involved in this long-running feud are essential to understanding Smith's NFL coverage:

  • Jerry Jones: The Cowboys' polarizing owner/General Manager, who is often the target of Smith's criticism for the team's long-term structure.
  • Dak Prescott: The quarterback who bears the brunt of the criticism for the team's playoff failures.
  • Skip Bayless: Smith's former *First Take* co-host and a notorious, lifelong Cowboys fan, whose debates with Smith set the stage for the current rivalry.
  • Cowboys Nation: The collective fanbase that Smith targets with his most venomous critiques.

The Current A-List: Stephen A.’s Top NFL Teams (2025 Update)

To keep his takes fresh and relevant, Stephen A. Smith routinely updates his "A-List," a fluid ranking of the top five teams in the NFL. This list often changes week-to-week based on performance, injuries, and his own personal analysis. This provides the most recent insight into his analytical mind, separate from his personal fandom.

As of the most recent discussions leading into the 2025 season, Smith's list often features the perennial powerhouses and breakout contenders who he believes have the best chance at a Super Bowl run. While the specific rankings are always subject to change, the teams that consistently appear on or near his A-List include:

  • The Kansas City Chiefs: Led by Patrick Mahomes, they are frequently the benchmark for success.
  • The Baltimore Ravens: Often praised for their defensive prowess and the dynamic play of Lamar Jackson.
  • The San Francisco 49ers: A team he respects for their deep roster and coaching structure.
  • The Buffalo Bills: Despite not being a fan, he often acknowledges the talent of Josh Allen and the team's potential.
  • The Philadelphia Eagles: A team he frequently dissects and critiques, often placing them on the list but with harsh warnings about their "trepidation" or coaching.

It is important to note that while the Pittsburgh Steelers are his favorite team, they rarely make his analytical A-List unless they are genuinely performing at an elite level, demonstrating his ability to separate personal feeling from professional analysis—most of the time, anyway. His true passion, however, will always lie with the Steelers, and his greatest entertainment will always come from the downfall of the Dallas Cowboys.

stephen a smith favorite nfl team
stephen a smith favorite nfl team

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