#Inside Stephen A. Smith’s ESPN ‘First Take’ rejuvenation

There are at least three reasons as to why Stephen A. Smith has seemed like he was shot out of a cannon since returning from a COVID-19 scare — which he wasn’t sure he’d make it back from.

Staring down his mortality gave him a new lease on life. He’d never had that much time to rest. He also got a kickstart on his first day back, when he had the fortuitous schadenfreude of facing Michael Irvin on the day after a painful Cowboys playoff exit.

“That was the most time he’s had off from TV, ever, so while he was recovering it was an opportunity for him to also recharge a bit,” Antoine Lewis, the senior coordinating producer of ESPN’s “First Take,” told The Post. “What you saw was he missed doing TV and couldn’t wait to get going on the show. You saw an energized, rejuvenated Stephen A. coming back — and he came back on a day where the Cowboys lost.”

Smith, who detailed his health scare in an emotional segment when he returned in January, expanded on his gratitude for his position in life and his colleagues.

“Well, an increased appreciation for life is definitely a residual impact of facing one’s mortality,” Smith told The Post. “But so is an appreciation for my quality of life — meaning an increased need to enjoy my life, the people in it, and being in the places I want to be while doing what I want to do. I love doing ‘First Take.’

“And yes, I am energized. But it’s because of Molly [Qerim] and all the contributors I work with every day and how much fun they make it for me. It doesn’t even feel like work. I’m having the time of my life. That’s where the energy comes from. Hard to have that if you’re depressed about work.”

James Dunn, a coordinating producer on the program, said Smith was “itching” to come back behind the scenes.

“Believe me when I tell you, he couldn’t wait to give out some opinions and talk some sports — and certainly it didn’t hurt that the Cowboys suffered a tough loss,” Dunn said.

Prior to this past football season, Smith and ESPN executive Dave Roberts made the decision to nudge Max Kellerman off “First Take.”

Anecdotally, the show seemed to struggle in its first few months without Kellerman. While ratings did not decline, the show was missing some of its zest for several months. However, this energy vacuum has been replaced — and then some — since Smith’s return from COVID-19.

In the meantime, Kellerman found dual landing spots, co-hosting ESPN Radio’s flagship morning program with Keyshawn Johnson and Jay Williams. He also hosts his own show, “This Just In,” in ESPN’s early afternoon slate.

Lewis explained why Smith felt things had run their course with Kellerman.

“I think that day-in and day-out, when you’re used to the same opponent, it becomes, as you hear about sports teams practicing against each other all the time, a different rhythm and pacing when you bring somebody else in,” Lewis said. “He’s said on record that it had run its course as far as where he and Max were going on certain topics. So now, you not only get one person’s perspective on that topic — you might get three or four different takes on one show. I think that excites him and gives him a different range, that people are seeing on the show.”

Lewis agreed there’s a different “rhythm and cadence” to the show. It has been “refreshing” to see as the format changed from having “First Take” be driven by Smith and Kellerman to Smith and a rotating cast of recurring guests and the star of the show enjoys the “Stephen A.-versus-the-world” concept.

Dunn added that there’s also an increased energy among the guests, as they look forward to the opportunity of being able to go at Smith in a one-on-one debate.

“You saw that energy each day from the different people coming on and contributing,” he said.

An interesting element of “First Take” is that the show is most compelling when Smith and somebody else are wrestling in the mud, appearing to get genuinely offended by each others’ opinions. This has happened on numerous occasions of late when things appeared to get personal with guests like Williams or J.J. Redick.

While those situations sometimes appear fraught to the viewer, Smith is said to egg them on.

“He enjoys it,” Dunn said. “He understands part of what makes ‘First Take’ unique is for the ability of people to come at him. He embraces that. He does not run for it. So, when J.J. or Jay-Will or any of our other analysts — Dan Orlovsky, Marcus Spears, Ryan Clark, Kendrick Perkins — he doesn’t just enjoy it. He encourages it.”

Dunn pushed back on the idea that “First Take” is “contrived sports debate” — where opposite sides of an argument are predetermined, to enhance the theater.

He noted that the show is a combination of topical breaking news and comic relief. He also pointed out that the program is perhaps the best “road show” on ESPN, outside of “College GameDay.”

“We can morph into anything on any given day,” Dunn said. “We can be serious. We can be funny. You see the product on-air.”

The two producers also shouted out other behind-the-scenes colleagues, like producer Ryan Staloff — who suggested they add Chris “Mad Dog” Russo in a regular role to the show — and Sam Tonucci for their contributions to the show.

In addition to Smith, co-host Qerim’s energy has seemed to rise of late as well — incidentally, she returned from a bout with COVID-19 the same day Smith did.

“Part of Molly’s challenge is keeping the show moving,” Dunn said. “Getting the show from topic to topic, especially when you have people who are passionate about what they’re debating and discussing.

“Imagine if there’s a third person in your own heated, passionate sports conversations or debates, who has to wrap that up and move it on. That’s a challenge. It’s not as easy as it may look on TV.”

Qerim offered her own take on the show’s increased energy.

“I am excited to come to work everyday— that’s over 240 shows per year. I know how rare that is and how incredibly blessed I am to say that,” she said. “Countless hours go into the show behind the scenes, but it’s clear we have a lot of fun.

“I’m grateful to be on such a talented team on and off camera. I genuinely respect and enjoy working with every contributor that appears on the show. Stephen A. is a special talent and a great teammate. All those factors contribute to a successful product.”