The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz welcomed in Thursday Night Football analyst Ryan Fitzpatrick to discuss his career and the NFL and the interview ended with a thud.
Le Batard and his crew were peppering Fitzpatrick with questions about his time with various teams, his feelings about being benched in certain situations. All seemed to be going swimmingly until Stugotz asked a seemingly light-hearted question that did not go over well.
“There were several reports last year,” Stugotz began, “that you had hurt yourself last year before the season on a water slide… did your career end on a water slide?”
Fitzpatrick paused momentarily before answering.
“No, I got hurt in a game and I think everybody saw that,” Fitzpatrick deadpanned. He then seemed to get annoyed.
“I am now part of the media but I think we all, and you probably already knew the answer to that question. I know it’s funny and light but now you give a rumor some more breath but it’s silly and doesn’t make sense and no, that never happened.”
Le Batard followed-up with another attempt at being funny.
“How does Ryan Fitzpatrick attack a water slide? Is it feet first? Head first? On the belly? How’s this one working?”
After a few more moments of pause, Fitzpatrick responded.
“We can move on to something else.”
The show reacted wildly to Stugotz’s questioning crossing the line with Fitzpatrick when they had no intention of doing so. Fitzpatrick was then ready to end the interview.
“I’m glad we’re not on Zoom right now. I’m glad it’s just on air,” Fitzpatrick replied.
“Look, I mean it’s not the “line”. This is like a “gotcha” like we have some crazy rumor that never happened that we are going to give breath to. It just doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.”
Le Batard then apologized for “fouling up” what was “such a fun interview” and then allowed Fitzpatrick to be done with the interview.
