‘Mad Dog’ Russo Apologizes to ESPN Colleague Live on Air After Calling Him a ‘Scrub’ in the NFL
Chris “Mad Dog” Russo made amends with ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky live on air after taking a shot at his playing days as an NFL quarterback.
On Monday, the First Take crew reacted to Orlovsky’s performance during the NFL Pro Bowl Games over the weekend. The 40-year-old tried his hand at the “Precision Passing” competition that the current NFL QBs did, and he actually did well. In fact, Orlovsky’s scored was higher than some of the QBs that were in the Pro Bowl.
While Molly Qerim and Stephen A. Smith gave Orlovsky credit for the performance, Russo was not amused. He claimed he’d be able to do just as well and felt compelled to remind viewers that Orlovsky was a “scrub” in the NFL. As a member of the 0-16 Detroit Lions in 2008, Orlovsky infamously ran out of the back of the end zone to commit a safety without realizing it.
Orlovsky took exception to the insult and called Russo “classless.”
May be a HOFer but this is classless
— Dan Orlovsky (@danorlovsky7) February 5, 2024
On Wednesday, Russo was in Las Vegas doing his show Mad Dog Sports Radio at Super Bowl LVIII’s “Radio Row.” Orlovsky joined the show and the two made up.
Russo said he wanted to talk, and Orlovsky immediately exclaimed, “You called me a scrub!”
“I didn’t think anything of it,” Russo said, “but my son Colin Russo texted me and he said, ‘Mr. Orlovsky, Dad, is not a fan,’ because you tweeted something at 9:07. Let me make an official apology if, in fact, it bothered you. It seemed like it did.”
Orlovsky embraced Russo and admitted, “It struck a nerve.”
Hopefully all is forgiven! @danorlovsky7 pic.twitter.com/ySOiW0vdc9
— Chris Mad Dog Russo (@MadDogUnleashed) February 7, 2024
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