Stephen A. Smith mistakenly confuses Texans player with Charlie Kirk
WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 19: Host Stephen A. Smith in conversation with Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) at a SiriusXM Town Hall event at SiriusXM Studio on November 19, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images for SiriusXM)
HOUSTON - The morning after the Monday Night Football playoff game where the Houston Texans defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 30-6, Stephen A Smith made a gaffe on national television when he accidentally referred to Texans’ wide receiver Christian Kirk as Charlie Kirk on ESPN’s First Take broadcast.
Stephen A. Smith apologizes for "Charlie Kirk" gaffe
What we know:
As the television crew was discussing the many headlines following the Houston Texans game, Smith meant to highlight the Texans wide receiver's career-high playoff performance.
"We saw Charlie Kirk catch eight receptions for 144 yards," said the ESPN analyst.
Smith was quickly corrected by ESPN’s Jeff Saturday before apologizing profusely, immediately following the comment.
Who was Charlie Kirk?
The backstory:
Charlie Kirk is the former CEO of Turning Point USA and was assassinated in September 2025 while speaking at an outdoor campus debate planned by the organization.
WASHINGTON - JULY 17: Charlie Kirk is seen in the Fiserv Forum on the third night of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wis., on Wednesday July 17, 2024. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
Many NFL teams, such as the Tennessee Titans, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, New Orleans Saints and the Dallas Cowboys, held moments of silence in honor of Charlie Kirk. Some included a video tribute using Charlie Kirk's photo on their video boards and asked the home crowd to stand and pay respects in the wake of his death.
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Dig deeper:
Christian Kirk is a two-time Pro Bowler, in his first year in Houston.
HOUSTON, TX - JANUARY 04: Christian Kirk #13 of the Houston Texans looks on from the sideline during the national anthem prior to an NFL football game against the Indianapolis Colts at NRG Stadium on January 4, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Coope
He looks to clear concussion protocol before the team’s divisional round match-up against the New England Patriots on Sunday, as the No. 5-seeded Texans take on the No. 2-seeded Patriots at 2:30 p.m. CST.
Texans defeat Steelers 30-6 in wild-card round; franchise's 1st road playoff win
Sheldon Rankins returned a fumble by Aaron Rodgers 33 yards for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter to highlight a dominant performance by the NFL's top-ranked defense, and the Houston Texans beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 30-6 on Monday night for the first road playoff win in franchise history.
The Source: Information in this article was provided by Fox News reporting. Additional information was provided by the Houston Texans.