Sports commentator Skip Bayless received a lot of backlash from sports fans and athletes for his insensitive tweet regarding Damar Hamlin’s serious injury during the Buffalo Bills game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Another one to express disapproval of the tweet was his fellow Undisputed commentator Shannon Sharpe.
On Jan. 2, Bayless tweeted about how crucial the Bills vs. Bengals game was, implying it shouldn’t have been postponed despite Hamlin’s critical condition. While he did tweet his regards for Hamlin and his family, it was evident in his other tweets that he didn’t think Hamlin’s nine minutes of CPR weren’t good enough to stop the game.
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
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
Bayless’ callous tweets angered Sharpe to the point where the former NFL player didn’t appear on Tuesday’s show. When he did show up, he addressed the rumors surrounding his absence and his partner’s disrespectful post.
“There has been a lot of speculation on why I wasn’t on-air yesterday,” Sharpe said. “And I won’t get into speculation or conjecture and innuendo, but I will say this: In watching that game on Monday night, what happened to Damar Hamlin struck me a little different.”
He continued, “As a brotherhood in the NFL, when injuries happen, and we know injuries are a part of the game. I’ve seen guys suffer ACLs and Achilles tear, but I’ve never seen anybody have to be revived and fight for their life on the field. So, they struck me a little differently because I remember seeing my brother paralyzed on the field temporarily, and he was able to regain focus.”
He then moved on to Bayless’ tweet.
“Skip tweeted something and, although I disagree with the tweet and hopefully would take it down, but I didn’t want it…”
Bayless interrupted Sharpe with, “Time out,” and said he wouldn’t remove the tweet because he stood by what he said.
“I mean, I cannot even get through a monologue without you interrupting me,” Sharpe argued. “You could’ve came back, Skip…I didn’t want to yesterday…get into a situation where Damar Hamlin was the issue. Should have been talking about him and not get into your tweet. That’s what I was going to do. But you can’t even let me finish my opening monologue without you interrupting.”
Bayless began speaking about how he didn’t think his tweet would be brought up on the show, saying, “nobody here had a problem with that tweet.”
“Clearly, the bosses wanted you to offer explanations,” Sharpe rebutted, with Bayless interjecting with, “No, they did not.”
Sharpe then moved on from the argument by cueing Undisputed moderator Jen Hale who said that “thoughts and prayers remain with Damar Hamlin.”
“That’s where the focus should have been and not on the football game,” Sharpe finished, getting the last word.
Sharpe wasn’t the only one mad at Bayless for his Twitter post. News Onyx reported that former NBA Player Stephen Jackson slammed Bayless on Twitter for his response.
“Ima slap the s**t outta @RealSkipBayless u too bold. All respect gone.”
Ima slap the shit outta @RealSkipBayless u too bold. All respect gone.
— Stephen Jackson (Stak5) (@DaTrillStak5) January 3, 2023
He followed the threatening tweet with, “We talking about a life. I maybe sensitive from losing my lil bro and lil sis, or I may just have a heart. Smdh.”
We talking about a life. I maybe sensitive from losing my lil bro and lil sis or I may just have a heart. Smdh.
— Stephen Jackson (Stak5) (@DaTrillStak5) January 3, 2023
On Jan. 2, Hamlin collapsed on the field after getting tackled. Medical personnel rushed to the area to perform CPR for nearly nine minutes to restart his heart. Once they got a pulse, he was transported to a hospital. He’s currently receiving extensive care at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center.
