Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy apologized Monday for a social media rant in which he called for the murder of Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll following Sunday’s game against the Denver Broncos.
Portnoy, speaking on Barstool’s Wake Up Barstool on FS1, said his comments were metaphorical and not meant to incite violence.
“We don’t want harm, and don’t want physical violence. We don’t want threats. I disavow real violence,” Portnoy said. “Anybody who thought I was actually calling for him to be murdered and killed so he couldn’t breathe… you misread this situation, and I apologize.”
The controversial remarks came after a high-stakes betting sequence in which the Raiders’ final drive dramatically altered point spreads. Portnoy, who was not on the winning side of the wager, streamed a 1:45 video on X, angrily demanding answers and repeatedly shouting, “Murder Pete Carroll! I want Pete Carroll murdered!”
Explaining the context of his outburst, Portnoy emphasized the metaphorical nature of his words.
“I would like to say this loudly, clearly, emphatically, we never want physical harm to anybody based on a decision, a play, anything,” he said. “However, in the moment, you may be upset by one of the wildest sequences that cost you a quarter million [dollars]. So it is a metaphorical murder.”
The Raiders were 8.5 point underdogs entering the game in most places. They found themselves trailing 24-7 late before backup quarterback Kenny Pickett threw a pair of touchdowns to make it 24-17. A controversial defensive delay of game penalty on Denver safety Brandon Jones stopped the clock at five seconds, allowing the Raiders to attempt a final field goal with no real chance to win, leaving sports bettors in disarray.
On Monday, Portnoy also reiterated Barstool Sports’ stance against violence.
“No murder, no violence. We’ve always been anti-murder. Here at Barstool, we will continue to be anti-murder,” he said.
Portnoy’s remarks drew swift backlash online. Many described his comments as “appalling” and “reprehensible,” noting that even in the context of sports betting frustration, calling for someone’s death crosses a line.
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We’ve reached peak visibility for the dumb, awful people in this country. My God, at least I hope that’s the case.