Reviews Pour In for Skip Bayless’ Reunion With Stephen A. Smith on ESPN

Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Reviews Pour In for Skip Bayless’ Reunion With Stephen A. Smith on ESPN

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Will Chesanek | Last updated May 13, 2026 7:59 PM ET

Skip Bayless returned to the ESPN First Take desk on Friday for the first time since June 2016, reuniting with his former debate partner, Stephen A. Smith. Bayless began his run on First Take in 2007 when the show was rebranded from Cold Pizza. He was the main debater on the show until 2016, when he left for Fox Sports.

Bayless entertained a rotating cast of debaters, including Woody Paige, Jemele Hill, Rob Parker and Smith, until 2012, when Smith became the full-time interlocutor. Smith and Bayless covered a wide range of topics together but mostly focused on the NFL and NBA. The two became a cultural fixture for the network, were parodied on Saturday Night Live and brought tremendous ratings to the network.

ESPN analyst Stephen A. SmithKirby Lee-Imagn Images

When Bayless departed ESPN in 2016, Smith became the primary debater for First Take, a position he has held since. Max Kellerman and Shannon Sharpe became notable desk partners for the New York native. Now, after the return of the dynamic duo on Friday, the ratings are in for their reunion show, and it appears fans were eager for their dialectic.

According to a report by Michael McCarthy of Front Office Sports, there was a 44% spike in viewership for the episode compared with a similar episode last year. First Take averaged 647,000 viewers on Friday, which was also a 24% jump from the show’s average viewership in 2026. McCarthy also reported that ESPN would not comment on a possible recurring role for Bayless. Bayless left his Fox Sports show Undisputed on Aug. 2, 2024, and is no longer under contract with any major network.