Skip Bayless is officially making his return to First Take — and this time, it won’t be a one-day reunion.
Bayless will join Stephen A. Smith on First Take every Friday, bringing one of the most recognizable sports-media partnerships of the past two decades back to ESPN.
The news comes months after Bayless made a surprise appearance on First Take alongside Smith, marking his first return to the program since leaving ESPN for Fox Sports in 2016. That reunion reportedly delivered a significant ratings bump, with the episode averaging 647,000 viewers, according to Awful Announcing.
Now, ESPN appears ready to make the reunion a regular part of the show’s weekly lineup.
The Return Fans Have Been Waiting For
Before their careers took them in different directions, Bayless and Smith became synonymous with First Take.
The two built their reputations debating everything from LeBron James and the NBA to the NFL, Cowboys, Tom Brady and virtually every other major sports storyline.
Bayless eventually left ESPN for Fox Sports, where he became the face of Undisputed. Smith remained at ESPN and became the centerpiece of First Take.
Nearly a decade later, the two are back together.
And Friday mornings just got a lot more interesting.
Why This Could Be Big for ESPN
The decision to bring Bayless back on a weekly basis gives First Take something that is difficult to manufacture: history.
Smith and Bayless don’t need an introduction to sports fans. Their chemistry — and their disagreements — helped turn First Take into one of the most recognizable debate shows in sports television.
Bayless’ return also comes at a time when sports media continues to move toward personality-driven programming, podcasts and social-media clips.
A Smith-Bayless debate is practically built for the internet.
First Take’s Original Debate Era Is Back
For longtime viewers, there’s an undeniable nostalgia factor.
Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless were central figures in the First Take era that popularized the modern sports-debate format.
Now the duo gets another opportunity to argue about the biggest stories in sports — this time with nearly a decade of history between them.
The question is simple:
Will the Skip Bayless-Stephen A. Smith reunion still have the same magic in 2026?
We’ll find out every Friday.
What do you think — is bringing Skip back every Friday a great move by ESPN?
