Terrell Owens laments Stephen A. Smith using his platform to bash him: “You’re not finna disrespect me"

Terrell Owens has reignited his dispute with Stephen A. Smith and expressed his frustration over the analyst allegedly using his fame to tarnish his character. In a recent podcast appearance, Owens said he wouldn't permit Smith to tarnish his reputation.

During an episode of the "All The Smoke" podcast, Owens lamented how Smith was using his platform to "downgrade" people.

"Keep that same energy you're gonna call me a sorry a** and I'm pathetic things that I'm trifling," Owens said. "When [and] if I ever come across you, keep that same energy. It's not a threat but you're not gonna use that platform to downgrade me as a person and what I've accomplished for your benefit."

"You're not finna disrespect me," he added

The initial disagreement between them began in a 2019 episode of "First Take." In that episode, Owens asserted that Kellerman's viewpoints aligned more closely with Colin Kaepernick's, suggesting that Kellerman was "blacker" in terms of his understanding of certain perspectives compared to Smith.

The conflict resurfaced when Owens made a post implying that Smith wanted Kellerman removed from "First Take" because Owens had embarrassed him in their on-air exchange.

Owens voiced his concern about Smith using his platform to criticize individuals in front of his extensive audience, and asserted that the analyst's behavior stems from an inflated ego fueled by his wealth.

"He had the opportunity to sit in front of his in front of his audience, his millions of subscribers... but for me, I wanted to share with everybody to give them some context as to what he saying is not accurate, it's not totally true," Owens said. "For him to try to build me up and then bash me and attack my character, that's not going to fly with me.

"Stephen A, he's walking around like that just because ESPN padded his pockets with some millions. He's walking around like he's up, like he's an athlete, like he got that kind of cache and then like start mentioning guys... That's not cool to be name-dropping."

Stephen A. Smith has backed off from the feud

Amid the conflict between Smith and Owens, Dallas Mavericks point guard Kyrie Irving had previously stepped in and urged both parties to settle their differences in private.

“Can y’all Call each other like Grown Mature Men and Clear the air without all of the extra social media back and forth?” Irving posted on X.

Smith acknowledged Irving's counsel and expressed his intention to "stand down" and be more responsible for his actions.

“Respectfully bro, you don’t know the whole story. I have nothing to say to his sorry pathetic a** — but that doesn’t mean you’re wrong! You are right bro! I’m man enough to admit that. I will stand down. #Respect,” Smith wrote.

Owens has maintained throughout his beef with Smith that he's not afraid of being exposed as he has not done anything wrong:

"He's gonna expose me? Expose me for what? I urge him. I give him permission to expose me because I've never done anything."