In the past six years, notable on-air personalities from the biggest sports debate shows on television have been publically ridiculed due to controversial tweets, unpopular opinions, or misspeaking on camera. At one point or another, people like Stephen A. Smith, Shannon Sharpe, and Will Cain have all been subject to a level of backlash. Still, the recent wave of criticism facing Skip Bayless has included an outpouring of outrage from professional athletes, many of whom seem to have united against him on one specific principle. During a pivotal Monday night football game against Cincinnati Bengals, Buffalo Bills free safety Damar Hamlin collided with Tee Higgins and suffered a cardiac arrest on the field. As the paramedics, players, and coaches gathered around Damar, Skip tweeted the following.
“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.”
At the time of the incident and tweet, very few people outside of the NFL knew the details regarding the severity of Damar's injury, but the seriousness was not up for debate. Damar was badly hurt, and everyone was concerned. After catching immediate backlash, Skip apologized for his tweet with a follow-up message and a heartfelt introduction the next day on Skip and Shannon: Undisputed. Nevertheless, many professional athletes, from Matt Barnes to Terrell Owens, have continued to voice their displeasure with the sports media veteran on social media. On Sunday morning, Super Bowl XLII Champion and former Defensive Player of the Year Michael Strahan added his commentary to the matter during a segment of Fox NFL Sunday. The New York Giants' great also offered pushback against Skip Bayless's statement to Shannon Sharpe on Tuesday's episode of Undisputed when he said, "Nobody here had a problem with [my] tweet."
“There were things done here, by someone here at this network, that were inhumane,” Strahan said. “I’m sorry to take this route, but I just felt like sensible people and sensible human beings have a heart. They understand that your words and what you say really have an impact on that young man’s family...So all the attention should be on this young man and his recovery. For sensible people like us here, to say that it didn’t affect anybody at this network, nobody at this network minded — that’s a lie...Obviously didn’t talk to us. Because it matters to us, and it matters to any sensible human being, that this young man’s life was bigger than any football game.”
Moments after the horrific collision that resulted in Damar's injury occurred, Chris Broussard and Rob Parker, also employed by Fox Sports, had a discussion similar to Skip's initial message about how the league should proceed during the airing of their show, The Odd Couple, while also sharing their deep concern for Damar's well being.
For the past week, Skip Bayless has been the primary subject of criticism after being accused of not prioritizing Damar's health while appearing to make a statement about the AFC playoff picture involving the Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals, and Kansas City Chiefs.
Scroll up to watch Michael Strahan share his thought's on Skip Bayless's initial reaction to Damar's injury last Monday night.
Source: Twitter
