Stephen A. Smith Opens Up on Skip Bayless Relationship: 'We Don't Speak Much Anymore'

ESPN's Stephen A. Smith revealed that he doesn't talk to Skip Bayless, his old First Take partner, as much anymore.

"We've only spoken once over the last year, a year and a half or so," Smith said during an appearance on the Fully Loaded podcast (h/t Awful Announcing's Sam Neumann). "We don't speak much anymore."

Bayless announced his departure from FS1's Undisputed on Aug. 2 after appearing on the network since 2016.

Smith admitted that the pair butted heads over comments that he previously made about former ESPN analyst and current Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick.

"He got upset over something he thought I said to JJ Redick, and he went on his podcast and attacked me for about 45 minutes," Smith said (h/t Neumann). "And then I flew to California and approached him face-to-face, and we resolved that issue."

"I'm never gonna speak against him per se, but our relationship admittedly hasn't been the same since that moment," he added.

Smith brought up Bayless' impending departure from FS1 on July 19, explaining that any potential reunion between the two on a sports show is "over."

"There's no negativity or shade being shown at Skip Bayless," he said on his YouTube channel. "I have moved on."

Bayless and Smith were both former sportswriters, although they rose to prominence together as they debated about various sports topics on First Take together. The show debuted in May 2007, with Smith and Bayless making regular appearances together until they became full-time stars of the show from 2012 through 2016.

In 2016, Bayless left ESPN to join Fox and started hosting his new show alongside Pro Football Hall of Fame tight end Shannon Sharpe. Sharpe eventually joined ESPN in Aug. 2023.