ESPN's Adam Schefter responded to rival NFL reporter Mike Florio on Christmas Day for debunking his story about Pete Carroll's potential return as coach.
Schefter said Carroll, 73, was considering returning to the NFL and that the Chicago Bears, New York Jets and New Orleans Saints need coaches of his pedigree.
Pro Football Talk's Florio then mocked Schefter's reports, writing: 'Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports that Carroll wants to return.
—Which means, frankly, that Carroll's agent has specifically said this to Schefter in the hopes that Schefter will broadcast it to the world, in hopes of generating public opinion.
—Then Carroll's agent will owe Schefter a big debt. And this is how the sausage is made.
'It's hard to blame Carroll's agent for trying to use the media to spread the word about Carroll. That's the agent's job. However, it is not the media's job to engage in quid pro quo public relations to train candidates.'
ESPN's Adam Schefter criticized rival NFL reporter Mike Florio for his report on Pete Carroll
Florio said Schefter was “engaging in quid pro quo public relations to train candidates.”
Schefter responded to Florio with an understandably brief response, saying on Christmas Day: 'Everything you say here is 100 percent incorrect. Keep guessing and Merry Christmas.
In early December, Schefter also responded to Doug Gottlieb, the men's basketball coach at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay.
Gottlieb disputed Schefter's claim that Sacramento State has $50 million in NIL money, saying, “Jesus Christ, edit what the agents tell you… 0.0% chance Sac State has $50 million.” in NIL”.
Schefter responded a bit more on that occasion, saying: 'The SAC-12 leading the school's NIL efforts already announced that it had reached its initial goal of raising $50 million in NIL funding to strengthen the school's case for an invitation to the PAC-12. or the Mountain West conference.
He then shared an image of the Horizon League standings to reference Wisconsin's 0-3 start to the season and added: 'And my goodness, Doug. A steak of seven defeats and last place in the Horizon League? Less time on social media and more time in the gym.'