Stephen A. Smith Misidentifies Texans Star As Charlie Kirk Live On TV | EUROtoday

Stephen A. Smith made fairly the awkward on-air blunder whereas discussing the Houston Texans’ 30-6 playoff win Monday over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

While recapping the matchup on ESPN’s “First Take” on Tuesday, the sports activities commentator misidentified the Texans’ star vast receiver, Christian Kirk, because the late right-wing political commentator Charlie Kirk.

“We saw Charlie Kirk catch eight receptions for 144 yards,” Smith stated earlier than co-host Shae Peppler Cornette interjected to remind him: “Christian Kirk.”

Smith shortly corrected himself. “I’m sorry, I apologize. Oh, my God, Christian Kirk.”

The verbal slip, which was shared on X by the sports activities media account Awful Announcing, has already racked up greater than 11 million views.

Christian Kirk and his group will play the New England Patriots on Sunday in an NFL divisional spherical playoff recreation. It seems that he has not publicly commented on the slip-up.

Charlie Kirk, who co-founded the right-wing nonprofit Turning Point USA, constructed a large social media following by holding debates on contentious cultural points, the place he typically made incendiary, racist or sexist remarks. He was shot and killed whereas talking with college students at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10, 2025.

After the killing, Smith condemned anybody celebrating Kirk’s dying on his SiriusXM radio present.

“I don’t care what his political beliefs were. I don’t care what he felt. I care about the fact that a man was gunned down in front of two of his children, who are 5 years of age or less,” he stated through the Sep. 11 episode.

He additionally praised the New York Yankees for honoring Kirk with a second of silence forward of a recreation towards the Detroit Tigers.

“Props to the New York Yankees organization last night for having a moment of silence,” Smith stated. “We’re not supposed to condone stuff like this. We’re not supposed to say it’s OK. I don’t give a damn who you are, Black, white or anything in between.”