Ask Charles Barkley to make matters worse for himself. The forever team player, Barkley, once made sure that his co-workers at TNT had a job for at least one more year, even if it meant losing a $100 million-worth opportunity. However, he doesn’t bring the same formality to ESPN, as he added another layer of bitterness towards the network.

“They (Miami) had a great year. Can I say they had a great year?” Barkley genuinely asked in his recent appearance on the Dan Le Batard Show. “You know why? Cause I don’t want these punka– reporters and clowns talking bad about me like they did that lady in Jacksonville who had a moment of humanity (more on that below). Have we got to the point now where you just have to be an idiot or fool or jack*** to be on television or podcast or something? I can’t tell the Hurricanes they had a great season?”

Barkley had joined the podcast to talk about the College Football National Championship Game, where the Indiana Hoosiers defeated the Miami Hurricanes 27-21 on Monday. However, the NBA legend, for one, was more interested in brewing another take that might get his job at ESPN in danger. He even had a warning for them:

“Well, they can fire me,” Barkley joked when the host asked if his clown and jacka– kind of takes on his co-workers could put him in heat. “I got seven years left on my contract. I’m 100% retired, but if I can do something just a little bit stupid, so they have to fire me. They don’t have to pay me for the whole seven years.”

Barkley signed a 10-year contract in 2022 worth $210 million to be the NBA analyst on the iconic ‘Inside the NBA’, which moved from TNT to ESPN after the latter bought the rights to the show. He is in his first year with ESPN, as the shift happened from the 2025-26 season onwards. But he had always been upset about the entire transition for a few reasons…

One, he got the news from ESPN employees and not TNT itself. Two, he wasn’t sure how the show that has accumulated love and trust from the fans could continue in the same fashion under ESPN’s banner. Moreover, he had already mentioned how he would just call it a day if ESPN tried to make him work too much.

“I ain’t gonna be working like no damn dog … I can give you 2 years … I’m not gonna be going on First Take, Get Up, SportsCenter, Pat McAfee,” Barkley had said last year.

Before he made his first appearance on ESPN, the Chuckster had stated, “I’m not going to change my personality. They can’t fire me… First of all, if they fire me, they got to pay me for seven years, and I’m going to quit way before then. But if they want to fire me, I would love for them to do that. The only decision we’ve been making is how long I’m going to work… I’m not worried about getting fired. And nobody at ESPN is going to tell me what to say or do. Period.”

Adding to his frustration with the network, Barkley’s sharp take came after ESPN’s NFL journalist, Brooke Pryor, publicly criticized a local Jacksonville Free Press reporter, Lynn Jones.

Charles Barkley chooses a side in the Liam Coen-Lynn Jones vs Pryor storyline

Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen looked visibly upset after his team was eliminated from the playoffs with a loss to the Buffalo Bills in the wild-card matchup on January 11. In the postgame presser, Lynn Jones left her reporting duties and instead tried to console the head coach.

“Congratulations on your success, young man. You hold your head up, alright? You guys have had a most magnificent season. You did a great job out there today. … Ladies and gentlemen, Duval, you the one. Keep it going, we got another season, okay? Take care, and much continued success to you and the entire team,” Jones told Coen.

However, ESPN’s Brooke Pryor wasn’t completely inclined with the response.

“Look, it’s a kind sentiment, but it’s not the job of a reporter to console a coach in a post-game press conference. Pressers are to ask questions to gain a better understanding of what happened or figure out what’s next — and do it in a limited amount of time,” Pryor wrote on X, sharing her thoughts on the viral incident.

The Jacksonville Jaguars had a fantastic season as their first-year coach, Liam Coen, guided the team to a 13-4 record after a 4-13 season in 2024. They also won the AFC South title. However, the Jags were one-and-done in the playoffs after they succumbed to a 27-24 defeat against the Bills on Sunday.

Several other eminent journalists also criticized Lynn Jones, but in her defense, shared how it was a very emotional moment for the city, the team, and also for the coach, and she wanted to cheer him up after a sensational season with the Jags.

That was exactly how Barkley felt, too, and decided to publicly add his voice to Jones’ side. As for college football, Barkley knew who he was backing as well.

Barkley praises Miami for its successful season

While Barkley doesn’t seem to have any direct relation to Miami, as a former sports person, he can certainly appreciate their season. They ended 2025-26 second in the ACC with a 13-3 record. What’s worth noting is that they handed upsets to every team in the playoffs to reach the finals.

In fact, despite the Hoosiers featuring their Heisman-winning quarterback, Fernando Mendoza, and a 16-0 run, Miami gave them competition by staying in the game.

Last season, while the Hurricanes were still in a strong position entering the playoffs with a 10-2 record, they lost in the very first round, the Pop Tarts Bowl, against Iowa State. The 42-21 defeat ended the Hurricanes’ season right there. Comparatively, they showed grit and confidence to reach all the way to the National Championship Game and tackle one of the strongest teams this season in Indiana.

So, Barkley also indirectly chose Miami as the team he supported. But it would be interesting to see if he chooses his ESPN co-workers after his latest take.