Stephen A. Smith’s recent rant about the New York Giants on “First Take” was based on a glaring falsehood, raising questions about the accuracy of his claims. On Friday’s edition of “First Take,” Smith passionately asserted that a member of the Giants organization had contacted ESPN offices or executives to complain about comments made by host Elle Duncan, who had criticized quarterback Daniel Jones.

However, The Post has learned that no one from the Giants actually made such a call.

“The New York Giants, respectfully, shut the hell up,” Smith said during his tirade about Duncan’s criticism of Jones. “Y’all are awful as an organization. You won a Super Bowl in 2007, you won a Super Bowl in 2011, and since then—since 2011—that’s 13 years, the Giants have made the playoffs twice. They’ve won one playoff game. And you’ve got the nerve to sit up there and call the offices and complain to executives about somebody that went on national television to do their job. Why don’t you do your damn job as an organization?”

Smith’s fiery comments were seemingly intended to defend his colleague Duncan, who had faced backlash for mocking Jones. But it turns out that the claim that the Giants called ESPN was either an exaggeration or simply untrue according to the NY Post.

While senior vice president of communications Pat Hanlon did criticize Duncan’s comments on X, formerly known as Twitter, no one from the Giants actually reached out to ESPN offices or executives, as Smith had claimed.

ESPN declined to comment on the discrepancy, leaving viewers and fans to speculate about why Smith made such an assertion. Whether it was an exaggeration meant to drive home his point or a blatant fabrication, the inaccuracy has drawn significant attention, adding fuel to the controversy surrounding Duncan’s remarks.

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The situation began when Duncan criticized Jones for reading his post-practice comments from a piece of paper after being benched by the Giants. In an emotional address, Jones expressed gratitude to the Giants organization and his teammates, thanking them for their support despite his struggles on the field.

The quarterback’s heartfelt remarks were delivered with sincerity, but Duncan found it fitting to ridicule him for relying on prepared notes.

“You guys think he had this saved in his notes since like 2020? In all seriousness, DJ, I could have saved you like 90 seconds,” Duncan said during her “Taking the Elle” segment. “A rewrite: ‘I’m sorry you paid me $108 million for one playoff win. And I look forward to reviving my career as Brock Purdy’s backup. The end.’”

Duncan’s comments quickly drew criticism from fans who felt her remarks were overly harsh and dismissive of Jones’ situation. Many felt that Jones, who was trying to express genuine gratitude during a challenging moment in his career, didn’t deserve to be mocked for showing vulnerability. Nonetheless, Duncan doubled down on her criticism the following day, posting on X, “It started flurrying this morning after a surprising amount of snow on my drive yesterday. I guess you could say I can’t seem to escape all these snowflakes..” Duncan’s dismissive response only served to inflame the backlash further.

On Friday’s episode of “First Take,” as Smith delivered his false claim about the Giants contacting ESPN, Duncan appeared to be unbothered, smirking and sipping from her mug. Smith, meanwhile, continued to berate the Giants organization for what he perceived as their failure to handle criticism appropriately.

“This is a performance-based business,” Smith said. “Nobody is talking about your personal life, nobody has gotten into anything. Your performance was put on public display and you were 20 games under .500. You have been abhorrent. You have been awful as the quarterback for the New York Giants and on top of it all, they let go of Saquon Barkley to make sure they took care of you. They gave you the bag instead of him, which is another blemish.”

The Giants’ season has indeed been turbulent, and Jones’ situation has only added to the drama. The team named third-string quarterback Tommy DeVito as the starter for Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at MetLife Stadium, opting to bypass backup Drew Lock.

With Jones dropping to fourth on the depth chart following the signing of Tim Boyle to the practice squad, it was clear that his time in New York had come to an end. Jones subsequently asked for and was granted his release from the Giants on Friday.

The entire situation has highlighted the precarious nature of professional sports, where success can be fleeting and criticism unrelenting.

While Duncan and Smith’s comments have sparked controversy, the reality is that Jones’ career with the Giants ended in disappointment. The young quarterback’s struggle to find consistency ultimately led to his benching and eventual release, while the media frenzy surrounding his departure has underscored the intense scrutiny that professional athletes face.

As for Stephen A. Smith, his inaccurate claim has put him in the spotlight for the wrong reasons, raising questions about accountability in sports media.

Whether this incident will lead to further fallout remains to be seen, but for now, it serves as a reminder of the power and responsibility that comes with having a platform as large as Smith’s.