Shannon Sharpe has returned to his on-air day job on FS1’s “Skip and Shannon: Undisputed,” but the apparent ongoing tension between the sports debate show’s stars isn’t dissipating any. Sharpe returned to the show on Jan. 4 after not showing up on Jan. 3. He opened the show with a monologue to explain his absence, and to shut down any speculation.
“Watching that game on Monday night, watching what happened to Damar Hamlin struck me a little different,” Sharpe said. “As a brotherhood in the NFL, we know that injuries are a part of the game. I’ve seen guys suffer ACLs and an Achilles tear, but I’ve never seen anybody have to be revived and fight for their life on the field. So, this struck me a little differently, because I remember seeing my brother being paralyzed on the field.”
The controversy around Hamlin’s cardiac arrest during “Monday Night Football” on Jan. 2 came when “Undisputed” co-star Skip Bayless tweeted the game could not simply stop due to the magnitude of its late-regular season standing implications for the upcoming NFL Playoffs. It was the second tweet in a series of three, with the first reading Bayless was praying for Hamlin and his family.
No doubt the NFL is considering postponing the rest of this game – but how? This late in the season, a game of this magnitude is crucial to the regular-season outcome … which suddenly seems so irrelevant.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) January 3, 2023
Later in the night, it was rumored Fox Sports higher-ups were not happy with the tone of Bayless’ tweet, and the hot-take entertainer followed up his second tweet on the situation with the third one.
Nothing is more important than that young man's health. That was the point of my last tweet. I'm sorry if that was misunderstood but his health is all that matters. Again, everything else is irrelevant. I prayed for him & will continue to.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) January 3, 2023
As soon as Sharpe brought up Bayless’ tweet in his opening statement, Bayless cut him off to declare he doesn’t back down from any tweet he has ever published.
Sharpe sat back in frustration and explained to Bayless while he didn’t agree with his tweet, he was going to press on and continue to do the show, but he was offended Bayless wouldn’t allow him to finish his statement.
Unc Shannon sharpe was explaining why he wasn’t on undisputed yesterday & this man Skip bayless gonna interrupt him when Shannon tells him to take down the tweet of damar Hamlin 🤦🏾♂️🤦🏾♂️🤦🏾♂️ pic.twitter.com/hQQK0njiQZ
— Shannonnn sharpes Burner (PARODY Account) (@shannonsharpeee) January 4, 2023
This is the latest moment of on-air tension from the duo of the fourth-highest rated show on FS1. The show suffered an 11 percent drop in viewership, according to a Dec. 28 rating from US TVDB.
On Dec. 12 when discussing Tom Brady, Bayless called the Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback the greatest football player ever “by far” and told Sharpe he was better than Sharpe was. By the time of his retirement, Sharpe was considered the greatest tight end ever and is a part of the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s 2011 class.
Unc Shannon sharpe got pissed after Skip Bayless took at shot at him while talking about Tom Brady 😭😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/Hddec3qI9y
— Shannonnn sharpes Burner (PARODY Account) (@shannonsharpeee) December 12, 2022
The show began on FS1 in September 2016 after Bayless departed ESPN and the popular “First Take” debate show with Stephen A. Smith as the co-star.
