Sports

Avery Johnson’s Dad Refuses To Clarify Ugly Brawl In Ireland With Transfer Portal Looming

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Avery Johnson Dad
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Kansas State quarterback Avery Johnson lost the first college football game of 2025 in Ireland. To make matters worse, his father reportedly fought his eldest son during an ugly incident outside of the stadium following the loss.

Fortunately, no arrests were made.

Unfortunately, the entire altercation was caught on video and multiple punches were thrown. This is not how the Wildcats want to begin what is supposed to be a promising college football season.

Avery Johnson might not be long for Manhattan.

Kansas State effectively pushed Will Howard out of the door in favor of its four-star sophomore quarterback in 2024. Johnson played in eight games with two starts as a freshman but it was Howard who played the majority of snaps.

The former went 9-4 with the Wildcats last season. The latter won a national title at Ohio State.

Now, as a true third-year junior, Johnson is expected to lead his team to the College Football Playoff. Kansas State ranked as a top-25 team in the preseason polls and its ranking hinges primarily on its quarterback and his ability to develop into a legitimate star.

His first game of the year was actually pretty solid in terms of numbers.

Avery Johnson completed 21 of 30 pass attempts for 273 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. He also ran for a touchdown.

With that being said, the eye test was not quite as impressive as the stats might suggest. Both passing touchdowns were on blown coverage by Iowa State. Johnson looked good, not great.

And, at the end of the day, the only thing that matters is a win.

Kansas State lost.

The Cyclones won by three but they chose to kneel out the clock on the goal line so they could’ve won by 10 if they kept their foot on the gas. Avery Johnson began his junior season at 0-1.

His father also took an L.

Multiple concerning videos hit social media shortly after the final whistle. The Johnson family patriarch fought a younger man that appears to be his eldest son, Anthony, outside of the stadium. Multiple Wildcats fans had to break them up. It was ugly.

247 Sports confirmed the involvement of Mark Johnson.

“There was a postgame confrontation at Aviva Stadium involving Mark Johnson, father of Kansas State quarterback Avery Johnson, and another man believed to be Mr. Johnson’s eldest son,” wrote Tim Fitzgerald. “According to witnesses, the conflict turned physical. According to one source, no arrests were made stemming from this incident. There is reportedly video of the disagreement and at least one eye witness is tied to Kansas State athletics.”

When asked about the video by the Wichita Eagle, Mr. Johnson initially chose not to comment. Big yikes.

** UPDATE ** The Johnsons released the following joint statement:

“We sincerely apologize for our actions following yesterday’s football game in Ireland. Senseless bickering escalated into an unnecessary fight. We have resolved our differences and take full responsibility for our actions. We have apologized to our immediate and extended family, and now extend our apologies to Kansas State University, its alumni, and fans. We regret this incident, have learned from it, and are committed to ensuring it doesn’t happen again. Please accept our deepest apologies.”

It will be interesting to see how Avery Johnson handles this distraction over the next few days. I am curious to know whether he will address his father’s behavior or if he chooses to keep his head down.

Either way, according to sources with ties to the Johnson family, it would not be a surprise if the quarterback chooses to transfer out of Kansas State after this season. There is still a very long way to go before we get to that point in the year but an exit seems inevitable. This latest incident does not help.