Mets Announcer Claps Back at ESPN Host After NFL Legend Diss in Shedeur Sanders Twist

Some mistakes on live television simply fade away, while others take on a life of their own. That’s what ESPN’s Monica McNutt learned the hard way when her blunder about a football jersey became a story that simply refused to fade away.

It happened on a Saturday morning episode when comedian Druski joined the First Take show wearing a blue No. 20 “Sanders” jersey. Any NFL fan with a pulse knew it belonged to Detroit Lions legend Barry Sanders. But McNutt, after a first glance at the name, said, “Alright, so the jersey, let’s get into it. Obviously, this ties to one Shedeur Sanders.” But Druski quickly corrected, “No no no no no. This is the Barry Sanders.”

And then, McNutt tried to recover, “I’m sorry, I apologize, Barry Sanders. But the tie, come on, the tie is to Sanders. Bear with me… let’s get into Shedeur because it’s appropriate you’re also a fan there, right?” While she attempted to pivot the conversation back to Shedeur, the damage was done. Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy later remarked, “This is next level stupid here,” about the incident.

On the surface level, echoes of that mistake seem to have quieted down. But the internet wasn’t so forgiving. During a broadcast of a Mets-Tigers game, longtime Mets voice Gary Cohen spotted a fan in the Detroit crowd who wore the very same jersey and seized his chance. “Yes, that’s a Barry Sanders jersey, everybody. Barry Sanders,” Cohen emphasized.

Awful Announcing later tweeted with the clip of the incident. “SNY’s Gary Cohen throws some shade towards ESPN’s Monica McNutt for her Barry Sanders flub last month.”

Cohen didn’t need to poke fun, but that’s who he has been since 1989.

The Mets’ play-by-play man is famous for his brutal honesty. He’s the same voice who exclaimed, “Is Clemens out of his mind?” when he saw Roger Clemens throw a bat shard at Mike Piazza during the 2000 World Series. And the same man who said, “The impossible has happened!” when 42-year-old Bartolo Colon hit his first-ever home run. He also guided an honest and thoughtful discussion about the 2021 “thumbs down” controversy involving Francisco Lindor and Javier Báez.

And while Cohen is known for his sharp calls, McNutt is becoming known for her viral blunders.

McNutt and the players at the center of the controversy

In March 2024, while discussing WNBA star Caitlin Clark’s fame, she said, “But I think Caitlin represented, and, again, some of this to me probably is not fair to her…. but she was a White girl from the middle of America.” And that drew a lot of criticism.

But the jersey blunder was especially glaring because of Barry Sanders’s legendary status.

The running back played his entire 10-year career (1989-1998) with the Detroit Lions. The first-ballot Hall of Famer in 2004 won the NFL’s MVP in 1997. He also won two Offensive Player of the Year awards in 1994 and 1997. Sanders is also a 10x Pro Bowler and a member of NFL’s 100th Anniversary All-Time team. So, getting confused with that status will definitely not just slip away!

On the other hand, the son of NFL and MLB star Deion Sanders, Shedeur, is the Cleveland Browns’ rookie quarterback and is currently in the news after his debut against the Carolina Panthers in August.

And in case you are interested in the game Cohen was calling, the Mets won that 10-8 on Monday.