US EditionESPN Star Quickly Apologizes After Calling Texans WR ‘Charlie Kirk’
Stephen A. Smith mistakenly named conservative activist Charlie Kirk instead of Houston Texans receiver Christian Kirk during an ESPN First Take broadcast, drawing over 11 million views on social media.
- ESPN's Stephen A. Smith accidentally referred to Christian Kirk, the Houston Texans wide receiver, as 'Charlie Kirk', a conservative activist who was killed in 2025.
- Smith quickly apologized for the mistake, stating he did not care about Charlie Kirk's political beliefs and lamenting that his children were now fatherless.
58 Articles
58 Articles
ESPN Host Accidentally Mixes Up NFL Star And Charlie Kirk In Extremely Awkward Flub On Live TV
In an awkward moment that felt less like a harmless, maybe Freudian slip of some sort and more like an unfiltered tell on himself, ESPN star Stephen A. Smith found himself in hot water after confusing Houston Texans wide receiver Christian Kirk with radical right-wing political activist Charlie Kirk during a live broadcast of First Take.The gaffe occurred Tuesday morning as Smith recapped the Texans’ dominant 30–6 playoff win over the Pittsburgh…
Stephen A. Smith Attributes Outstanding NFL Performance To The Late Charlie Kirk
On Tuesday's edition of ESPN's First Take, Stephen A. Smith described a football game that could not have occurred in our earthly realm. "We saw Charlie Kirk catch eight receptions for 144 yards," he said. It's possible that Smith saw this in a vision, but "we" did not: The right-wing activist Charlie Kirk was assassinated in September 2025. Also, I don't think he ever had the 40 time to do something like that. https://bsky.app/profile/awfulann…
Sports Legend Apologizes for Saying ‘Charlie Kirk’ Instead of ‘Christian Kirk'
(Photo Credit: Paras Griffin/Getty Images) Stephen A. Smith makes a name error, referring to Houston Texans wide receiver Christian Kirk as Charlie during ESPN’s First Take. During the conversation, Stephen discussed Christian’s performance in the Texans’ match against the Pittsburgh Steelers on January 13. Fans on social media immediately noticed the tongue slip-up and shared their unique takes. Stephen A. Smith says Charlie Kirk instead of Chr…
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