Shannon Sharpe Threatens Kirk Herbstreit After 'First Take' Comments

12/23/2024 11:21 AM

ESPN's Shannon Sharpe has fired back at Kirk Herbstreit for his comments about "First Take" during Saturday night's Ohio State vs. Tennessee College Football Playoff game.

Herbstreit, who played at Ohio State, sounded off on the "lunatic fringe" portion of the Buckeyes' fan base on Saturday night, that wants Ryan Day fired. Herbstreit also took a shot at "First Take," which has discussed Day's job security at length, since his fourth straight loss to Michigan. 

"The lunatic fringe at Ohio State is as powerful as anywhere in the country. It used to be eight to 10, I think it's grown now to about 15 to 20. I'm sure they'll be happy tonight, fired up about what the team did, but God forbid they lose to Oregon. They'll want to fire [Day] again," Herbstreit said.

"First Take tried to fire him. They thought he was done, so I'll be excited to see what they talk about on Monday after this performance. They had him out, trying to find replacements. But here he is, he still has his hat on. He's still coaching."

Day is 67-10 as Ohio State's head coach, but he's lost four straight to Michigan, including one this year as a three-touchdown favorite. Is it that crazy to want him gone?

ESPN's "First Take" doesn't think so. On Monday morning, Shannon Sharpe fired back at Herbstreit, threatening him if he mentions his name and show again.

Sharpe, who starred in the NFL from 1990-2003, did not hold back.

"If we're going to be on the same team, if we're gonna work for the same network, don't do that. Kirk, Chris Fowler, I promise you, if you ever mention any platform that I'm on again talking about 'I wonder what they're going to say as negativity,' I promise you, ESPN ain't got enough bosses to keep me off y'all for what I'm going to say... don't play with me," Sharpe said on Monday morning.

Shannon Sharpe on Kirk Herbstreit's criticism of First Take: "If we're going to be on the same team, if we're gonna work for the same network, don't do that. Kirk, Chris Fowler, I promise you, if you ever mention any platform that I'm on again talking about 'I wonder what they're… pic.twitter.com/4IPLUU5rYy

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) December 23, 2024

It's rare to see ESPN-on-ESPN crime, but this is the kind of stuff that "First Take" lives off of.

We'll have to see if Herbstreit responds.