Overview
- On Tuesday’s First Take, Stephen A. Smith mistakenly said “Charlie Kirk” while citing Texans receiver Christian Kirk’s 8 catches for 144 yards and a touchdown in Houston’s 30-6 Wild Card win, then immediately apologized after host Shae Peppler Cornette corrected him.
- The clip, shared by Awful Announcing on X, amassed millions of views within hours and prompted a wave of memes and online reactions.
- The mistake drew extra scrutiny because Charlie Kirk, the Turning Point USA cofounder, was assassinated in September 2025 during a campus event in Utah.
- Smith had previously condemned people celebrating Charlie Kirk’s death on his show, a stance outlets noted as context for Tuesday’s on-air slip.
- Some reports noted ESPN’s posted version of the segment appeared to omit the line, and there has been no public discipline beyond the on-air apology as Houston turns to a divisional game at New England on Jan. 18.