Undisputed is taking the summer off to retool with plans to return on Aug. 28, presumably with a new cohost to replace Shannon Sharpe. A staple of FS1’s morning programming, Undisputed has been on hiatus since Sharpe’s departure last month.
https://twitter.com/undisputed/status/1676652445525757954
Who Fox pairs with Skip Bayless has been the subject of much speculation, with candidates including Nick Wright, LeSean McCoy, Keyshawn Johnson, and Max Kellerman, the latter two casualties of ESPN’s recent layoffs. As for Sharpe, the Hall-of-Fame tight end has already been linked to FanDuel, potentially filling the void left by Pat McAfee.
Undisputed has gone off the air for extended stretches but never for this long, typically taking a week or two off in the summer to recharge.
Though it pays handsomely, sitting in the chair next to Bayless can be a thankless job, tasked with debating an ornery egomaniac whose self-involvement knows no bounds, going to extreme, often delusional lengths to win an argument. Working with Bayless requires certain sacrifices, though it’s also great exposure, vaulting Sharpe to a new level of relevance following a largely forgettable stint at CBS.
That gives Fox about eight weeks to map out its new, post-Sharpe identity, with Bayless, as usual, providing significant input.
About Jesse Pantuosco
Jesse Pantuosco joined Awful Announcing as a contributing writer in May 2023. He’s also written for Audacy and NBC Sports. A graduate of Syracuse’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications with a master’s degree in creative writing from Fairfield University, Pantuosco has won three Fantasy Sports Writers Association Awards. He lives in West Hartford, Connecticut and never misses a Red Sox, Celtics or Patriots game.