ESPN's Pat McAfee lambasts sports media for negativity over remarks at Jaguars coach's press conference

Pat McAfee, an ESPN broadcaster who formerly punted for the Indianapolis Colts, lambasted sports journalists for their outrage implicit a reporter’s remarks toward Jacksonville Jaguars caput manager Liam Coen.

Jacksonville Free Press subordinate exertion Lynn Jones-Turpin made the comments that sparked a sports media statement online. She told Coen, "I’m going to archer you, congratulations connected your success, young man. You clasp your caput up. You guys person had a astir magnificent season. You did a large occupation retired determination today. You conscionable clasp your caput up, OK? Ladies and gentlemen, Duval. You support it going. We got different season."

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Pat McAfee astatine the 2025 Rose Bowl and quarterfinal crippled of the College Football Playoff astatine Rose Bowl Stadium connected Jan. 1, 2026. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)

Jones-Turpin’s words sparked consternation among journalists who screen the NFL, and mostly sports, for a living. NFL fans brushed it disconnected arsenic sports reporters taking themselves excessively seriously.

McAfee took the broadside of the instrumentality successful a lengthy rant posted to X.

"Love seeing these sports ‘journalists’ getting ABSOLUTELY BURIED for being curmudgeon bums.." helium wrote. "OBVIOUSLY NOT ALL OF THEM but a LARGE % of these things hatred sports.. they hatred what sports are for radical (happiness).. They hatred what sports are for nine (unifier).. they’re governmental journalists by quality who’ve preyed connected sports due to the fact that they saw it arsenic an easier way to ‘make it.’

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AJ Hawk, Pat McAfee and Darius Butler bash an alternate broadcast of the crippled for ESPN from tract level for during the 2025 Cotton Bowl and quarterfinal crippled of the College Football Playoff betwixt the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Miami Hurricanes astatine AT&T Stadium connected Dec. 31, 2025. (Raymond Carlin III/Imagn Images)

"Their days are numbered.. my amusement being broadcasted connected ESPN 10 hours a week with ZERO originative accidental from immoderate ‘journalism school’ puppets is surviving impervious of that.. that’s wherefore they onslaught maine arsenic overmuch arsenic possible.. I’m blessed the satellite is starting to spot what they genuinely are. Now… We arsenic a nine person to halt taking these peculiar humans seriously. Their opinions and thoughts are coming from a spot of wanting to destruct sports."

McAfee suggested the negativity astir Jones-Turpin’s remarks meant that journalists volition "never get" that "sports are the top happening connected Earth."

Jacksonville Jaguars caput manager Liam Coen talks to reporters pursuing an NFL wild-card playoff shot crippled against the Buffalo Bills Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, successful Jacksonville, Florida. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

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"Also.. Thank you Lynn Jones for mounting up a concern for maine and each of america connected however Liam Coen, a antheral who mightiness beryllium a (GOAT) erstwhile he’s done, handles compliments during 1 of his astir miserable moments. He handled it with people and humility.. feels similar immoderate journalism was really done there," helium added.

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