There was big drama at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis Wednesday. But it wasn’t on the football field.
Fox Sports reporter Jordan Schultz confronted NFL Network reporter Ian Rapoport at Starbucks in the JW Marriott lobby, Front Office Sports has confirmed. The conflict was first reported in detail by ProFootballTalk and first alluded to without the names involved by Barstool Sports podcaster PFT Commenter.
The two dueling NFL insiders were at odds over conflicting reports regarding Tom Brady and Matthew Stafford earlier in the day. Schultz reported that Brady recently “hosted” Stafford “at his home in Montana” with the intent of wooing the quarterback to the Raiders.
Rapoport contradicted the report, saying that the two “ran into each other” and that, “the meeting, unplanned, was not extensive or in-depth and did not include Brady ‘hosting’ or ‘recruiting’ Stafford, despite reports saying otherwise.”
Schultz doubled down, writing, “If you really think Tom Brady and Matthew Stafford just happened to run into each other at a ski resort in Montana—of all places—at the exact same time, I’ve got a bridge to sell you.”
Eventually, Brady’s agent Don Yee told Rapoport’s NFL Media colleague Tom Pelissero, “I know that reporters sometimes make mistakes in their haste, but this story’s inaccurate.”
According to ProFootballTalk, Schultz “verbally accosted” Rapoport at the Starbucks.
“If you have anything to say it to me, say it to my fucking face,” Schultz reportedly said. “If this continues we’re going to have a fucking problem.”
Schultz told the outlet that he didn’t remember using profanity, but acknowledged having a “verbal confrontation” with Rapoport, who referred the altercation to NFL security.
Schultz and reps for Rapoport and NFL Media did not immediately respond to text messages from FOS seeking comment.
