While recovering from a season-ending ACL injury, Micah Parsons got into a public dispute with sports analyst Skip Bayless after criticizing how media personalities influence today’s athletes.
During an appearance on the Open Thoughts podcast hosted by Funny Marco, Parsons spoke about sports pundits and took aim at Bayless. He also made comments about Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe, saying Sharpe “lives on both sides,” which sparked speculation about tension between them.
I didn’t bring you up unc! Marco, did I respect our relationship! I never inferred you spoke about me; it was just about what I saw on other players! I never talk down on a gold jacket!
@ShannonSharpe https://t.co/YVRsoHxxw3— Micah Parsons (@MicahhParsons11) February 19, 2026
Sharpe responded on his Nightcap podcast, defending his credibility and stating that no network tells him what to say. He emphasized that his job is to give honest opinions based on his knowledge of the game.
Parsons later clarified on X (formerly Twitter) that he did not mean any disrespect toward Sharpe. He said he values their relationship and would never talk down on a “gold jacket,” referring to Sharpe’s Hall of Fame status.
However, Parsons did not back down from his criticism of Bayless. He claimed he could do Bayless’ job better and challenged the analyst’s credibility. In response, Bayless fired back publicly, inviting Parsons to a face-to-face debate and saying he would repeat his opinions directly to him.
While Parsons appears to have smoothed things over with Sharpe, his feud with Bayless continues, with both sides openly challenging each other.