Welp another day, another Stephen A. Smith headline. This time controversial sports commentator sent social media inti a frenzy for all the wrong reasons.
The latest viral comment came from a brief tongue-tie during ESPN’s breakdown of the Houston Texans’ playoff win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. While in the middle of giving credit where it was due, the longtime ESPN heavyweight tripped over a name, and quickly cleaned it up.
"We saw Charlie Kirk catch 8 receptions for 144 yards…I apologize. Oh my God. Christian Kirk" – Stephen A. Smith pic.twitter.com/PPQXMjXFEr
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 13, 2026
Breaking down Houston’s surprise offensive showing, Smith highlighted what he thought was a big night from the Texans’ veteran wideout. “We saw Charlie Kirk catch eight receptions for 144 yards,” Smith said. Seconds later, co-host Shae Peppler Cornette stepped in with the correction. But Smith didn’t dodge it or downplay it, he stopped the show and owned the mistake on the spot.
“I’m sorry, I apologize,” Smith said. “Oh my God, I meant Christian Kirk.”
Christian Kirk, now in his first season with Houston and eighth year in the league, hasn’t exactly had a banner regular season. He wrapped it up with 28 catches for 279 yards and one touchdown, statistically the roughest stretch of his career. That’s why his playoff impact caught some viewers off guard and made Smith’s slip even more noticeable.
The mix-up sparked extra attention because of the name involved. Smith has previously spoken emotionally about online discourse surrounding political commentator Charlie Kirk, forcefully criticizing people who mocked news circulating about his death.
“I don’t care what his political beliefs were. I don’t care what he felt,” Smith said, via Fox News Digital. “That he’s dead at the age of 31. That his wife is a widow. That his children are fatherless because his ideas and his beliefs differed from somebody else, apparently. And then I’m going online, and I’m seeing people celebrating it. Shame! Shame on you!”
Charlie Kirk was a prominent and deeply polarizing American conservative activist, author, and media personalitywho co-founded the youth-focused political organization Turning Point USA in 2012 when he was just 18, building it into one of the biggest conservative movements on college campuses and beyond and becoming a central voice in right-wing politics with close ties to Donald Trump.
He hosted The Charlie Kirk Show, wrote books, and mobilized young voters for conservative causes, but also drew sharp criticism for his confrontational style and controversial statements. Kirk was shot and killed at age 31 while speaking at a Turning Point event at Utah Valley University in September 2025, an incident that sparked national debate and reflection on political violence and his legacy.
Still, in the nonstop sports-media cycle, even a split-second slip can turn into a headline especially when one of ESPN’s loudest voices is behind the mic.