Skip Bayless ‘is OUT at FS1 and will host his final show later this summer’ one year after long-time co-host Shannon Sharpe left Fox Sports
Skip Bayless’ eight-year career at FS1 has come to an end, The New York Post reports.
The Undisputed co-host will host his final show later this summer.
Bayless’ departure from Fox Sports comes a little over a year after longtime co-host Sterling Sharpe left the network to join ESPN, where he recently agreed to expand his role. Since then, Undisputed has had a rotating roster of co-hosts including Keyshawn Johnson, Michael Irvin, Paul Pierce, Rachel Nichols and Michael Irvin.
The New York Post also reports that Undisputed’s ratings have been declining over the past year. Despite this, Undisputed is expected to continue on FS1, the Fox Sports cable channel, even after Bayless’ departure.
Bayless referred the Post to FS1 spokespeople, who declined to comment on the matter.
Bayless’ departure from Fox Sports comes just over a year after co-host Sterling Sharpe left
The problems between Sharpe and Bayless came to a head in 2023 when Sharpe stepped down to become a guest host on ESPN and create his own podcast.
As the New York Post reported at the time, Sharpe reached a buyout of Fox Sports as animosity between him and Bayless grew.
One particular source of friction was Bayless’ flippant tweet in the aftermath of Damar Hamlin’s on-field cardiac arrest in early January 2023: “The NFL is undoubtedly considering postponing the remainder of this game ā but how? This late in the season, a game of this magnitude is crucial to the outcome of the regular season … which suddenly seems so irrelevant.”
The post, which was widely criticized at the time, was discussed on Undisputed the next day.
Unfortunately for Sharpe, Bayless didn’t let his co-host discuss the topic uninterrupted.
“Skip tweeted something and I disagreed with it. Hopefully Skip will delete the tweet offline,” Sharpe said before Bayless interrupted him.
“Time out,” Bayless said Wednesday. “I’m not going to delete it because I stand by what I tweeted.”
Many, including Sharpe, took offense to Bayless’ tweet, which was seen as flippant
But it was a personal insult ā Bayless’ suggestion in December that Sharpe was somehow jealous of Tom Brady ā that may have sealed their fate.
“The moment Skip claimed Shannon was ‘jealous’ of Tom Brady, and Shannon took his glasses off, that’s when they broke up,” Fox Sports host Parker told the Post. “Skip even told him to put his glasses back on, and Skip didn’t like that at all.”
Bayless had a successful career before joining FS1.
Bayless, 72, is an award-winning sports columnist and reporter for the Chicago Tribune, Dallas Morning News, Dallas Times Herald, Miami Herald and Los Angeles Times. He describes himself as the humorless villain of sports debate shows.
He first introduced himself to a younger audience alongside Stephen A. Smith on ESPN’s First Take before moving to Fox Sports in 2016.
Since then, the Oklahoma native has become known as a loyal Dallas Cowboys supporter, a LeBron James hater and a Tom Brady defender, all while battling Sharpe for creative control of Undisputed.