"We try our best to respect the game and showcase and display it in a fashion that might be a little bit more appetizing for a different group of people that are watching alongside the best play commentators on Earth."
"A decade ago when you had the rapid emergence of digital media, it was a trigger mechanism for me to stop thinking about how things have been forever. It may be time for me to think more idealistically."
"There wasn't a ton of meat on the bone. … Suffice it to say it didn't go the way that I thought it was going to go. Not necessarily anyone's fault or anything like that."
"To sit there and criticize a bunch of guys who did something great for this country over and over again, for accepting a visit to the White House or for showing up at the State of the Union, is absolutely un-American."
"There was one soft toss to the President. What would you do about this? He started rambling about how the Gamecocks are good and the NFL kickoff rule. It was just bad."
"It’s the President of the United States requesting to come on a college football show that didn’t exist five and a half years ago. That’s why we did it."
"There’s something to be said for the idea that two politically active global artists performed on the biggest stage in American sports. Moreover the decision to let the music speak for itself."
Following the situation, Collins remained largely mum on the topic. However, many took to social media to chastise him for his handling of the incident, lambasting his reaction.
"The contrast with Finebaum isn’t subtle, and neither is the message sent to the rest of the ESPN roster. Some voices get guardrails. Others get carte blanche. That approach may make business sense in the short term, but it erodes internal trust and external clarity."
"We look forward to honoring the content that moved audiences in 2026 and continuing the Gracies’ long-standing investment in the people who will shape what comes next.”