Stephen A. Smith credits Skip Bayless for ‘career resurrection’

Skip Bayless and Stephen A. Smith have been two of the more influential figures in the sports media landscape for the better part of two decades. And while the longtime partners may never work together again, Smith has a “lot of love” for everything his longtime colleague has done for his career.

Smith and Bayless served as the most iconic tandem in the history of ESPN’s First Take, working together on a permanent basis from 2012 to 2016, when Bayless opted to leave for FS1.

During their time together, the two had countless heated debates. And during their time apart, the two haven’t always seen eye to eye. But at the end of the day, Smith remains appreciative of the impact Bayless had on his career, which he shared during an appearance on The Dan Le Batard Show on Thursday.

“Not much,” said Smith when asked about his current relationship with Bayless. “I appeared on his podcast a few months ago. He interviewed me for an hour. We don’t talk much. I know I owe him dinner because he reached out and he wanted dinner. We’ve never really talked much off the air, believe it or not. That was never the case. I owed him a lot because he really pushed for me to be on First Take, which obviously played a pivotal role in resurrecting my career. I have got a lot of love for him as well.

“The only hiccup that we have ever had was when he interpreted something that I said on JJ Redick’s podcast at the time, The Old Man and the Three, where it came across as him needing me. And then he went on a five minute diatribe that I thought was completely unnecessary. But we hashed that out when I spoke to him. Because all I did was say that, no matter what was going on with the show, he came to me and said, ‘I need you because you are the only one that I can trust to be sitting across from me two hours everyday.’ He said, ‘Will you do that for me?’ That’s all I said.

“Apparently, someone got in his ear and thought that I was saying more than that, which I wasn’t. He came at it the wrong way. But I addressed it face to face, man to man, with him in California. And ever since then, we have been just fine. Skip and I don’t have any issues. I owe him a lot because, again, I wouldn’t be in this position if it wasn’t for him getting me on First Take. I don’t think you repay people that have benefited you so tremendously as he has done to me, by castigating them in any way. He and I have… I wouldn’t say it’s a great relationship in terms of us talking all the time. But Skip knows if he needs, I’ll be there for him.”

Bayless has been equally as complimentary of his time working with Smith, recently describing their on-air chemistry as “God sent.” So clearly, there is plenty of mutual respect there.

While Smith and ESPN have essentially closed the door entirely on Bayless ever returning to First Take, perhaps the door is cracked open for old-school First Take fans to get another reunion between the two on one of their podcasts in the future, similar to what we saw back in March.