Dan Orlovsky… what are you doing?
This is why sports fans now hate ESPN:
The network is no longer about informing fans, it’s about turning everything into a debate. pic.twitter.com/hsCpU9bzBG
— College Sports Only (@CSOonX) March 24, 2026
Orlovsky had quite the day on ESPN Tuesday.
After claiming on multiple shows that Ty Simpson was “QB1” of the draft over Fernando Mendoza (he’s not), Orlovsky continued to double down on his take that Simpson was “the” guy in the draft.
Fernando Mendoza is QB1 #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/xAebgf77Ix
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) March 24, 2026
When Pat McAfee referenced Fernando Mendoza’s great performances in big games, Orlovsky replied: “What big games, Pat?”
It was an all-time head-scratching moment, even for ESPN, whose game analysis plays more these days like a daytime soap opera.
Dan Orlovsky literally said “what big games” when referring to games that Fernando Mendoza played in.@espn What are we doing here? https://t.co/XamGrsonfY
— SleeperRaiders (@SleeperRaiders) March 24, 2026
It turns out Orlovsky is repped by the same agency as Simpson (CAA), which may explain Orlovsky’s terrible take.
Dan Orlovsky – CAA
Ty Simpson – CAA
Fernando Mendoza – Excel Sports Managment
🧐🧐🧐 https://t.co/Sm9QXY8JAk pic.twitter.com/534fYXj580
— ATLNiner (Life is pain football sucks) (@PapaStew80) March 23, 2026
But Orlovsky denied this explanation to McAfee as well.
Dan Orlovsky responds to claims that he prefers Ty Simpson to Fernando Mendoza because of his CAA affiliation.
“There’s no ulterior motive behind this”pic.twitter.com/S5Eh4igxSa
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) March 24, 2026
Dropping a take so bad people start looking up agent affiliations is special https://t.co/mKrhvmCwaT
— Alex Insdorf (@alexinsdorf99) March 24, 2026
At the end of the day, a hot take is a hot take, but Orlovsky’s incessant ragebait tactics are exactly what’s wrong with sports media today.
Dan Orlovsky perfectly represents where sports media went wrong.
It’s one thing to have Stephen A Smith or Skip Bayless whose job it is to be intentionally provocative. They represent the drunk guy in the urinal mumbling through vomit that we need to run the damn ball (and we…
— Chuck Bass (@ChuckFBass) March 25, 2026
As a former professional player, Orlovsky brings a unique perspective to a network that’s desperate for the respect they once held.
They aren’t going to get it with takes like this.
