Skip Bayless is headed back to ESPN! Well, for a day.
For the Friday edition of “First Take,” Bayless will be joining Stephen A. Smith in what the four-letter network is describing as “a one-time reunion” after almost 10 years of not hosting the show together, according to Front Office Sports.
“CAN’T WAIT FOR FRIDAY,” Bayless posted Monday on Twitter. “MORE SOON.” (RELATED: Legendary Yankees Broadcaster John Sterling Dead At 87)
Bayless was a part of “First Take” from the beginning of the program in 2007, ultimately leaving ESPN in 2016. For Smith, he stayed on “First Take,” currently hosting the show with Shae Cornette.
According to the Los Angeles Times, who cited “a person familiar with the situation but not authorized to discuss it publicly,” the idea to bring Bayless back for a one-timer was Smith’s.
Following his exit from ESPN, Bayless went on to work for Fox Sports, co-hosting “Undisputed” from 2016-24. For the majority of that time, he was partnered with Shannon Sharpe. Now, Bayless hosts the podcast “The Skip Bayless Show,” while contributing on a regular basis to Gilbert Arenas’ “The Arena: Gridiron.”
Exclusive: Skip Bayless is set to appear alongside Stephen A. Smith on Friday’s episode of First Take, FOS has learned.
It will mark his first ESPN appearance since leaving the network in 2016.
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) May 4, 2026
Sports media is so corny today that I don’t know if I should be excited for this, and not just that, but what’s up with ESPN pretty much teasing us with a one-time thing? We can’t make Skip a regular contributor?
I swear, Disney doesn’t know how to do anything right.