Stephen A. Smith Says He Spoke With Nick Khan About Appearing In WWE

Stephen A. Smith is a big fan of Pat McAfee’s WrestleMania 42 involvement, and says he once spoke with Nick Khan about potentially doing something similar. McAfee has brought into the Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton feud as a heel ally to Orton, which has caused polarizing reactions in the WWE fanbase. Smith declared his appreciation for McAfee as a heel manager in an interview with Joe Tessitore on ESPN First Take and said he’d once spoken with Khan about something similar.

Smith declared himself a fan of heel managers and said that he decided against an appearance because he’s “not as courageous” as McAfee. You can see the highlights below:

On McAfee’s Role In the Orton & Rhodes Feud:

“I love it. And I want to applaud Pat McAfee for that, because let me tell you something. They would talk — Listen, I go back to the old days, the Bobby ‘The Brain’ Heenan and people like that. I love cats to [be] the heels.”

On Talking With Nick Khan About Appearing:

“I actually wanted to do that. Your man Nick Khan talked to me about that. See the difference is, I’m not as courageous as Pat McAfee. I ain’t trying to get hit by one of them big boys, at all. I dont want no parts of it. But I love that stuff, because I think the sport needs it.”

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit ESPN with a h/t to 411mania.com for the transcription.