There’s a time and a place for everything, but the Heisman Trophy ceremony probably isn’t it.
ESPN’s Desmond Howard, who won the Heisman with Michigan in 1991, decided his interview with Wolverines defensive end Aidan Hutchinson was the time to throw shade at Ohio State. After Hutchinson said one of his goals this year was to beat the Buckeyes and win the Big Ten, co-host Tim Tebow came in with a joke.
“Kenny, I’m glad you’re in between them,” Tebow said, referring to Pitt quarterback Kenny Pickett, who was between Hutchinson and Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud. “Please stay there.”
“Better than [Stroud’s] offensive linemen,” Howard then said.
Hutchinson sacked Stroud three times in Michigan’s 42-27 win over Ohio State, the performance playing a key role in earning him a spot on stage as a finalist.
Howard’s partners on-air were visibly uneasy with the comment, with Robert Griffin III saying, “just throw them under the bus,” as some fans booed Howard.
Later on, Howard did, sort of, issue an apology on Twitter. Well, not really.
“I would like to apologize …” Howard wrote, “to everyone who doesn’t have the ability to recognize a fun, good natured ribbing among football rivals. C.J. is good. We good. And that’s all that matters to me. Everyone else can relax and enjoy the rest of their night.”