Philly sports host apologizes for accusing Joel Embiid of faking illness: ‘I feel like an idiot’

The Philadelphia 76ers ruled Joel Embiid out for Thursday’s game against the Houston Rockets with an illness, and radio hosts didn’t handle it well.

Embiid was ruled out with an illness last week. He was ruled out again with an illness this week. And for some fans and media, that was too many illnesses in too little time. Embiid has unfairly lost the benefit of the doubt by missing 472 games in his career. The mounting absences have fans and Philly media rushing to question whether his “illness” was legitimate, or stemming from some sort of quarrel within the organization.

When 97.5 The Fanatic midday host Jon Marks learned Embiid would miss Thursday night’s game against the Rockets, he exited the studio in disgust. And Marks wasn’t alone in rushing to condemn Embiid. The immediate reaction to Embiid being ruled out with an illness wasn’t great. But when that illness turned out to be appendicitis, Embiid was owed an apology.

I questioned Joel Embiid being sick and he’s having surgery for appendicitis. Obviously, I feel like an idiot. pic.twitter.com/WSRWzWYhJJ

— Jon Marks (@JonMarksMedia) April 9, 2026

“Oh my God, Joel Embiid has appendicitis after I pretty much said I was faking it during my show today,” Marks said in a video posted on social media. “And I feel like a real, real idiot. So I gotta put this out there right now. Like a lot of people did, but I’m on the radio, and based on his history, I thought it was just more of the same with Joel Embiid. Apparently, according to the Sixers, he has appendicitis, and he’s gonna undergo surgery. I feel like an idiot, I apologize.”

All of a sudden, Embiid goes from a player being accused of faking an illness to a player who we can now say scored 34 points with appendicitis, and one who also had a 50-point playoff performance while suffering through a case of Bell’s palsy.

Embiid is reportedly undergoing surgery on Thursday afternoon in Houston to have his appendix removed. Recovery from the surgery can take several weeks, putting Embiid’s status in doubt for the Sixers should they advance to the playoffs. It’s awful timing, and the latest ailment in a long list of injuries and medical issues suffered by the 32-year-old. But hopefully, it will earn Embiid the benefit of the doubt going forward.