Skip Bayless Facing Backlash for Tweet After Damar Hamlin's Collapse

While the sports world awaits updates on Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, one media personality is doing damage control.

Fox Sports’ Skip Bayless is under fire for a tweet he posted after Hamlin collapsed during Monday night’s game between the Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals. Hamlin was taken off in an ambulance after being administered CPR on the field, and the Bills later announced that Hamlin had suffered a cardiac arrest and was in critical condition.

During the frightening scene, players from both teams soon retreated to their respective locker rooms. With the status of the game uncertain, Bayless posted the following Monday night:

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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.

— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) January 3, 2023

The NFL postponed the game less than an hour after Bayless’ tweet went up, but the negative reaction towards him continued to build. Athletes and fans across Twitter called Bayless out with some, including Terrell Owens, calling for his job.

Bayless posted a second tweet Monday night in an attempt to clarify his original message, saying he was “sorry” if his first tweet was “misunderstood.”

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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.

— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) January 3, 2023

On Tuesday, Bayless went on-air for “Undisputed” without his co-host, Shannon Sharpe. Bayless made another attempted apology, but not for his original thoughts from Monday night.

“I apologize for what we are going to set out to do here today, if it offends anyone, because we’re going to try to do the show pretty much as we usually do the show,” he said. “I’ll admit, I’m still pretty shook up by what happened last night to Damar Hamlin. In fact, I’m still wrecked. In fact, I’m not sure I’m capable of doing the show today, but after barely sleeping on it, I decided to give it a try.”

You can watch Bayless’ full remarks below:

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Skip Bayless is without Shannon Sharpe for Undisputed today.

He attempted to apologize for the discussion surrounding Damar Hamlin last night and on today’s show. pic.twitter.com/MTg7w0gafx

— Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) January 3, 2023

Bayless said Sharpe will return for Wednesday’s show.