Shannon Sharpe on skipping Undisputed’s controversial episode after Damar Hamlin incident - “I'm sure they held that against me”
Shannon Sharpe has found a new home at ESPN, occasionally joining Stephen A. Smith at the sports debate show First Take. He switched networks after doing Undisputed with Skip Bayless for nearly seven years.
While there were several memorable moments during his stint on the FS1 program, his response to Bayless’ thoughts regarding the Damar Hamlin incident stands out.
Looking back, the former NFL tight end feels that it might have been the straw that broke the camel’s back.
Shannon Sharpe recalled skipping Undisputed after Damar Hamlin injury
The Pro Football Hall of Famer shared in his recent appearance on Smith’s eponymous podcast:
“Probably if I could go back and do one thing differently. They're there a couple of things. That situation, I definitely would not have definitely should have reported.
"I'm sure they held that against me. I should have gone in there and sat down and not, uh, you know, if I show up to work, I'm gonna work, and it's not like I'm gonna sit there and hold out, hold in while I'm there.”
Shannon Sharpe did not report for work during the Undisputed episode after the 2022 season Week 17 game between the Buffalo Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals.
Bayless’ behavior regarding Hamlin’s severe injury might have provoked the 14-year NFL veteran’s actions. Bayless tweeted during that unfortunate incident:
“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.”
Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest after tackling Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins. He remained motionless as first responders conducted CPR on him.
The Buffalo Bills safety was eventually brought to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. Fast forward to the 2023 season, and Hamlin made the Bills’ 53-man roster.
Meanwhile, despite its playoff implications, the NFL canceled the Bills-Bengals game. Therefore, both teams played only 16 games last season, with Cincinnati finishing at 12-4 while Buffalo was 13-3.
Bayless apologized for his earlier post, tweeting:
“Nothing is more important than that young man's health. That was the point of my last tweet. I'm sorry if that was misunderstood, but his health is all that matters. Again, everything else is irrelevant. I prayed for him & will continue to.”
Finding work isn’t difficult for Shannon Sharpe
While Shannon Sharpe left Undisputed after the 2023 NBA Finals following a contract buyout, he has become a household name. He continued working on his Club Shay Shay podcast, which started while he was at FS1.
The brand he built is irresistible, leading ESPN to hire him after another round of on-cam talent layoffs. While the three-time Super Bowl winner has no regrets about his Undisputed stint, he speculated on doing things differently regarding the Damar Hamlin situation.
Shannon Sharpe added to his conversation with Smith:
“That's probably one of the moments in my tenure that I'm least proud of that I didn't show up. Because on all the other jobs I've ever had, I've never not shown up for work.
"And for me not to show up for work. I should have, and I was wrong in that situation. And maybe they used maybe that was the final straw.”