Getty/Pat McAfee show composite
ESPN college football analyst Kirk Herbstreit has some thoughts on colleague Dan Orlovsky’s report on Justin Fields.
On Wednesday, Orlovsky was heavily criticized for reporting that some teams had issues with Fields’ “work ethic” during an appearance on ‘The Pat McAfee Show.’
Dan Orlovsky on the @PatMcAfeeShow show today had some interesting quotes that he’s getting from guys in the know.
“Last guy in, first guy out.”
“I’ve heard there are some questions with Justin Fields’ work ethic.”
“Where is his desire to be a great quarterback?”
— Steere (@SethSteere) March 31, 2021
“One, I have heard that he is a last-guy-in, first-guy-out type of quarterback. Like, not the maniacal work ethic. I’ve even heard it compared to Justin Herbert, where it was like, dude, when Justin Herbert showed up, he was like a psychopath when it came to working and get ready for the draft. Or even at school, like, “Give me more, I want to work non-stop.” And I’ve heard that there are issues with Justin Fields’ work ethic.
The second thing is … Where is his desire to go be a great quarterback? I think that there’s a desire to be a big-time athlete, from what is expressed to me, but where is his desire to be a great quarterback? And to be great, you gotta be willing to find the things that you are not good at and just freaking grind on them.”
Orlovsky was immediately called out for pushing a racially biased media narrative by regurgitating what some anonymous team execs had told him about Fields.
It always appears that certain QBs are labeled as lazy or lacking a great work ethic while others are lauded for their IQ & mental capacities. It would be nice if we wouldn’t routinely affix stereotypes to ONLY Black QBs. Non-Black QBs NEVER get these labels on TV. Weird, right? https://t.co/CZ7exbvjAc
— Bucky Brooks (@BuckyBrooks) March 31, 2021
On Thursday, Orlovsky took to Twitter to apologize for his reporting on the McAfee’s show and clarified that Ohio State coaches think Fields’ work ethic is great.
In regards to Fields….👇🏼 pic.twitter.com/9VgIRyShrB
— Dan Orlovsky (@danorlovsky7) April 1, 2021
Herbstreit, who is the top college football analyst at ESPN, blasted his colleague and called him “reckless” for resharing the Fields information.
😂😂😂
Absolutely RIDICULOUS.
Even if YOU aren’t saying it…
to pass that along from “people in the know” is reckless and absurd!! Embarrassing!! https://t.co/r0RFSr1B6y— Kirk Herbstreit (@KirkHerbstreit) April 1, 2021