Among all the unusual ways to celebrate a victory, smearing someone else’s blood across your face has to rank pretty high. That was the scene after Minnesota’s 27-24 upset win over Washington, when P.J. Fleck turned a bloody chin from linebacker Maverick Baranowski into an impromptu “blood brother” moment. The clip quickly went viral, and while Fleck appeared to have his own explanation for the bizarre celebration, Michigan State head coach Pat Fitzgerald was not exactly eager to join in.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
“I’ll give blood but I ain’t touching blood,” Fitzgerald said on his weekly Pat Fitzgerald Radio Show. “That was the grossest thing I’ve ever seen.”
Fleck’s celebration came after an emotional win for the Golden Gophers. Baranowski, who has spent his college career at Minnesota, had blood on his chin as the team celebrated the 27-24 victory. Fleck hugged the senior linebacker before dragging his hand across Baranowski’s bloody chin and wiping the blood across his own cheeks.
The Minnesota coach then went around celebrating with players and staff, apparently unfazed by what he had just done.
“Oh, my God!” FOX broadcaster Jack Kizer said during the broadcast. “The definition of blood, sweat, and tears. It’s 1:30 in the morning in Minnesota, and P. J. Fleck has gone insane.”
Fleck later explained the unusual celebration while wiping his face with his sleeve.
“Blood brother,” Fleck said of Baranowski. “Back in the day, I’m sure that’s what they did. The frontiersman out West. Little blood on there, I guess.”
That moment became the obvious talking point after Minnesota’s win, but Fleck eventually used the attention to promote something much more serious.
Fleck turned the viral moment into a blood donation plea
During his Monday press conference, Fleck reminded reporters that the Big Ten and Abbott are running the “We Give Blood” campaign, a blood donation competition involving the conference’s schools. The campaign began in August and runs through December 4.
Fleck used his time at the podium to encourage Minnesota fans to get involved, pointing to the national need for blood donations.
“Last but not least — just wanted to make sure I said this — the Big Ten and Abbott teamed together for the We Give Blood drive, which I think is a great time to bring some awareness to that. Donating blood saves a lot of lives. American Red Cross has declared a national blood crisis, and we have a competition in the Big Ten with Abbott, and we’re in 11th place,” Fleck said, before pounding his fist on the podium. “So that’s why. So we gotta pick it up and change our best. So all of our Minnesotans, give your blood.”
According to Bring Me The Sports, more than 1,500 Minnesotans had donated blood and logged their donations online. Wisconsin, meanwhile, was leading the Big Ten competition with nearly 9,000 donations at the time.
So while the blood-covered celebration gave Fitzgerald plenty to cringe about, Fleck eventually gave the viral moment a different purpose.
And Fitzgerald’s reaction should not be mistaken for a sign of bad blood between the two coaches. The Michigan State coach and Fleck have known each other for years and have spoken highly of each other throughout their careers.
When Minnesota hired Fleck in 2017, Fitzgerald was still coaching at Northwestern and called the move a “terrific hire.”
“I thought [Fleck] was just a terrific hire for the Gophers. Just from our background and our knowledge of each other,” Fitzgerald said, according to the Minnesota Star Tribune in November 2017.
Fleck has returned that admiration over the years.
“He’s one of the greatest influences I’ve had in coaching,” Fleck said of Fitzgerald. “We’ve known each other for a very long time.”
That makes Fitzgerald’s latest comments sound more like genuine disgust at the sight of Fleck handling someone else’s blood than anything personal. The two coaches are set to meet later this season, giving Fitzgerald a chance to see Fleck’s theatrics from the opposite sideline.
For now, though, Fleck has another memorable celebration to add to his long list. And after the Washington upset, it was Baranowski’s bloody chin that gave the Minnesota coach his latest viral moment.