Skip Bayless has found himself in hot water after he posted a tweet following Damar Hamlin's collapse on the football field - and now, athletes have banded together to call for the Undisputed host to be fired from the show.
It all started when the 71-year-old took to Twitter following the suspension of the Bills-Bengals game in Cincinnati to question why the decision was made.
"No doubt the NFL is considering postponing the rest of this game – but how?” Bayless tweeted, as an emergency medical team tended to Hamlin on the field.
"This late in the season, a game of this magnitude is crucial to the regular-season outcome... which suddenly seems so irrelevant," he added.
Bayless' tweet immediately sparked a negative reaction, with many slamming the host for being insensitive.
NFL players, including Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner and free agent wideout Dez Bryant, responded to the Fox Sports host, clearly unimpressed by his lack of empathy.
Jacksonville Jaguars star Logan Cooke replied: "This is the most inconsiderate thing you could have said. We are human beings not just numbers. You’ve obviously never stepped foot in a locker room or been apart of a family like this.
"We are a band of brothers! Get over yourself man… Praying hard for Damar and his family!"
"Are you seriously talking about when the football game should be postponed? Damar Hamlin’s health is ALL that matters at the moment! Nothing else," Gardner quote-tweeted.
"WE NEED TO CANCEL @RealSkipBayless ASAP," Bryant also added.
And other professional athletes also jumped in to critisize Bayless.
Isaiah Thomas, a free agent NBA point guard, replied to Bayless, writing, "I hope they fire you bro!!! For you to even THINK of the game is very sad". While ESPN NBA analyst chimed in to say: "You’re a sick individual. Real Talk."
The backlash didn't stop there as more and more people rallied behind Hamlin.
Morning news anchor and sports fanatic, Joe Scanlan wondered "how can any human being watch what happened tonight, then have this take? Incredible."
Former Oregon State wide receiver, Rahmel Dockery, referred to Bayless as a clown, urging the network to "fire him... immediately."
Over on Instagram, Hall of Fame legend Terrell Owens reposted the tweet and said it is "the most despicable tweet ever," also adding that he hopes Bayless loses his job.
"I would like to say I’m shocked by this tweet BUT quite frankly I’m not because of who I’ve known you to be!!" Owens said. "For you @skipbayless, to think the magnitude of this game trumps the LIFE of a player is inhumane."
Matt Barnes, a former NBA champ, commented under Owens' post, writing: "Someone gonna slap the s*** outa skip one of these days."
Later on Monday night, the 71-year-old sports commentator took to Twitter yet again, but this time, he issued an apology for his previous tweet.
"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 and will continue to," he stated.
But it seems as though the damage was a little too deep for forgiveness as hundreds of comments continued to pour in.
"Back-tracking isn’t gonna pull you out of this one. You made the choice to put a game and the entertainment it provides above a human life. For someone with your platform, this is an all time low," responded one user, while another urged him to "do us a favor" and delete Twitter altogether.
Prior to his controversial tweet about postponing the game, Bayless claimed he said a prayer for Hamlin and his family.
"Not exactly sure what happened to Damar Hamlin. Players on both teams are shaken. Ambulance out on the field. CPR administered. Can’t remember play being stopped for this length of time.
"Just said a prayer for him and his family."
He continued: "I’ve seen so many horrific injuries suffered on football fields yet never have I seen a reaction like this. In every other situation I witnessed or covered, the game always went on fairly quickly. The attitude was, 'Hey, that’s football.' For these players, this was DIFFERENT."
The news comes just shortly after Buffalo Bills' Damar Hamlin was involved in a tragic incident on the field during their game against the Bengals in Cincinnati, Ohio.
As per the New York Post, the 24-year-old collapsed on the field in the first quarter after making a tackle on Bengals receiver Tee Higgins. He initially got up after the hit and appeared disoriented before falling to the ground on his back.
According to a recent update from the Bills, Hamlin is currently sedated and listed in critical condition at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center where he was taken after sustaining his injury.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Hamlin and his loved ones during this incredibly difficult time.
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