On October 12, 2008, then-Detroit Lions quarterback Dan Orlovsky made one of the most memorable blunders in NFL history when he, facing pressure from Vikings defensive end Jared Allen, ran out of the back of the Lions’ own endzone for a safety.
On Tuesday, now-ESPN NFL analyst Orlovsky made a similar blunder when he, facing pressure from fellow ESPN television personality and former Colts punter Pat McAfee, asked the latter to specify which “biggest games” Indiana quarterback, Heisman Trophy winner
Big Ten champion, Rose Bowl champion, Peach Bowl champion and, last but not least, national champion Fernando Mendoza played in this past season.
Orlovsky, one of the network’s most visible NFL analysts, recently shared his thoughts on the 2026 NFL Draft class, specifically his belief that Alabama’s Ty Simpson is the best quarterback available, notably over Mendoza, the favorite to be selected No. 1 overall by the Las Vegas Raiders.
Now, look, it’s one thing for Orlovsky to share his thoughts on two of the top names in the coming draft. That’s his job, it’s what ESPN pays him to do. It’s a different thing to ask which “biggest games” he played in.
McAfee, speaking with Orlovsky about his take on his show on Tuesday, mentioned how he’d watched Mendoza in some of the biggest games before Orlovsky asked him to name which games. When the excruciatingly obvious point that McAfee was referring to the, uh, College Football Playoff was raised, Orlovsky went on defense, asking if he was allowed to raise questions.
Sure. We’re also allowed to respond to those questions, which are silly.
Mendoza, as stated previously, played in the Big Ten Championship, the Rose Bowl, the Peach Bowl and the National Championship Game, winning all four. Those are… pretty big games, no? I’d go as far as saying those are, in fact, the biggest games. Silly point from Orlosky, who continued running from the pressure.
“They’re down thirteen to six going into the fourth quarter, Indiana,” Orlovsky said of the Big Ten Championship, which isn’t true. Indiana was up 13-10. Mendoza made several key throws in that fourth quarter to extend drives and keep the ball away from Ohio State, protecting that lead he helped build. Orlovsky defended this take when it was questioned, stating he was providing factual information, which he wasn’t.
Perhaps he was talking about the first half? When Indiana went into the locker room down 10-6? Before a touchdown pass from Mendoza gave the Hoosiers the lead in the third quarter?
All of this without addressing the literal elephant in the room. The room being the Rose Bowl Stadium on New Year’s Day when Simpson, starting at quarterback for Alabama, produced zero first half points against Indiana in what ended in a lopsided 38-3 loss with those three points coming from a drive led by the Crimson Tide’s backup quarterback, Austin Mack.
Things get silly around draft season. This point felt especially silly.
