Kirk Herbstreit ripped Dan Orlovsky this week after Orlovsky passed along a negative report about Justin Fields’ work ethic, and it sounds like executives at ESPN are not pleased about the situation.
Orlovsky was a guest on Pat McAfee’s show Wednesday and was asked by the host about rumors that Fields’ stock is dropping. Orlovsky told McAfee that he has heard some talk from NFL teams questioning Fields’ work ethic and desire to be great. Orlovsky made it clear that what he was sharing was not his opinion about Fields and said he has no concerns about the former Ohio State star’s ability to perform at the next level.
After receiving some backlash, Orlovsky posted a video on Twitter to elaborate on his comments. He said he had since spoken with more people — including one Ohio State offensive assistant — who praised Fields for his work ethic. Herbstreit, a fellow ESPN employee and Buckeyes alum, was not satisfied with Orlovsky’s explanation. He called Orlovsky’s initial report on Fields “reckless and absurd.”
According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, ESPN has spoken with both Herbstreit and Orlovsky. Neither TV personality will be suspended, but the issue has been addressed. It’s unclear if the higher-ups at ESPN took issue with Orlovsky’s initial report about Fields, Herbstreit’s tweet, or both.
Orlovsky repeatedly said that the negative reports he heard about Fields’ work ethic came from NFL teams and indicated he was not buying into them. The information probably came from one or more teams that are interested in Fields and want him to fall down the draft board. With some of the throws Fields made and the blazing 40-yard dash he ran (video here) at his Pro Day, it’s hard to imagine him slipping too far.
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