Skip Bayless Reveals Disturbing Insights from His ESPN Days with Stephen A. Smith

Former ESPN firebrand Skip Bayless has dropped jaw‑dropping revelations about his time on First Take with Stephen A. Smith—offering a rare peek behind the curtain of one of sports media’s most controversial partnerships.

In a recent podcast appearance, Bayless candidly recounted how his bond with Smith deteriorated not on air, but behind closed doors—revealing tension, fractured communication, and ultimately, a relationship that couldn’t be repaired.

Although he once actively sought a reunion with Smith—he even pursued a comeback to ESPN to reignite their chemistry—Bayless said the two no longer speak with the same familiarity.

“We don’t talk much anymore,” Bayless shared. “I tried everything in my power to go back…But a matching clause in my contract kept me at FS1. It was heartbreaking.”

Smith, for his part, acknowledged their distance but dismissed any notion of animosity, stating that the drift wasn’t about malice but a shifted dynamic.

“I have nothing bad to say about Skip,” Smith clarified. “I reached out. He never called back. And I respect his decision.”

Bayless also challenged Smith’s public framing of their partnership’s origin. Smith had once suggested on a podcast that he was personally recruited by Bayless to “save” First Take when ratings were allegedly slipping. Bayless reacted with stinging disappointment:

“How could Stephen A. suggest I needed saving? The show was already booming,” Bayless countered. “That hurt.”

Although Smith walked back the remarks soon after, framing the miscommunication as a misunderstanding, the hit to Bayless was deep—not simply as a rebut to the claims, but as a blow to their friendship.

Further straining the ties was a lack of response from Bayless when Smith tried to reach out after Bayless’s public fallout with Shannon Sharpe on Undisputed. Smith recounted calling Bayless multiple times—once personally and again during the Sharpe drama—but never hearing back.

“That’s not about animus,” Smith said. “It’s just a sign we aren’t aligned anymore.”

What both men agreed on: their chemistry drove First Take’s rise, turning it into ESPN’s go-to morning show. And despite personal rifts, each acknowledged the other’s pivotal role in their early success—and the lasting media legacy they created together.

Now, both operate new ventures—Bayless with his podcast-based content, and Smith with his dominant First Take platform secured by a five‑year, $100 million deal with ESPN. Their paths have diverged, but fans continue to reflect on what made their on-screen synergy so electrifying—and how personal dynamics can shape broadcast history.