Stephen A. Smith isn’t being shy about his desire for Shannon Sharpe to return to “First Take.” The Pro Football Hall of Famer, who joined the debate show in 2023 upon leaving FS1’s “Undisputed” after friction with Skip Bayless, was let go by ESPN last summer after settling a $50 million lawsuit in which the 57-year-old was accused of rape. Sharpe previously denied the allegations. Smith, 58, would like to see Sharpe return. Shannon Sharpe (c.) attends Game 4 of the Lakers-Thunder series in Los Angeles on May 11, 2026. Getty Images “I’m always going to want him back. The company knows I want him back,” Smith said of Sharpe on the “Out the Mud” podcast, per Awful Announcing . “Now, y’all going to do what y’all got to do because I’m the executive producer, but I’m not an executive VP of the company. I have bosses to answer to. They have to make that decision. But they already know I want him back. If we can get him back, I want him back, I ain’t apologizing for that to nobody. He was great for me.…