"Not gonna happen on my watch": Dave Portnoy flames Stephen A. Smith for Drake Maye "liar" comments amid Cam Newton controversy

ESPN's sports analyst Stephen A. Smith angered many New England Patriots fans on Thursday when he called quarterback Drake Maye a "liar." His remark came after Maye claimed that he was unaware that Cam Newton is a regular guest on "First Take." Smith responded by saying the show is the top program in the country and that all athletes are familiar with it.

Shortly after Smith's comment went viral, Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy posted a video on X demanding that Smith apologize to Maye, himself, and the entire Patriots franchise.

In his rant, Portnoy suggested that Maye may genuinely not have known about First Take or Newton's appearances. He also mentioned that he himself wasn't aware of it either.

"Cam Newton can say whatever he wants. He said the Pats are fool's gold because of the easy schedule," Portnoy said. "And they asked Drake Maye about that comment, and he's like, ‘I don't even honestly know what show Cam Newton is on.' And then, Stephen A. Smith on First Take, calls Drake Maye a liar. ... You don't call a man a liar.

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"Smith owes Maye an apology. Since Skip (Bayless) left, First Take's been a revolving door. People in, out. I, hand to God, had no idea Cam Newton was on that show. I had absolutely no idea he was on it. I didn't even know Cam Newton worked for ESPN. "So, to call Drake Maye a liar, well, you owe us, me, Drake Maye, the Krafts, all Patriots fans an apology. Not on my watch, you'll not call Maye a liar."

In essence, Portnoy claims that he doesn't think it's right to brand Maye a liar based on the fact that he doesn't expect all the athletes in the US to know all the analysts connected to "First Take."

Maye has been a major center of attention in the NFL community this season, just his second year in the league. He has completed 71.9% of his pass attempts for a league-high 2,836 passing yards and 20 touchdowns in 11 games this season.

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Drake Maye makes it clear that he prioritizes wins over individual awards

Drake Maye has emerged as one of the favorites to win the NFL MVP award this season. The 23-year-old quarterback leads the league in passing yards and pass completion percentage going into Week 12. In addition, he is ranked No. 5 in pass completions, No. 4 in passing touchdowns and No. 2 in passer rating.

While he has frequently been considered one of the best quarterbacks in the league in 2025, Maye recently disclosed that his priorities are team success.

"I just hope to be at the top in wins," Maye said on Wednesday. "That’s the biggest thing. Just trying to win. And I think all that other stuff comes after that."

Maye, the No. 3 pick by New England in the 2024 NFL draft, has been a driving force behind the Patriots’ eight-game winning streak heading into Week 12. He has passed for 15 touchdowns to just three picks during that run.

The Patriots will once again rely on the former UNC quarterback to guide them when they take on the Cincinnati Bengals (3–7) on Sunday.

Edited by nagpaltusharn25