What started as a fiery debate between ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky and longtime colleague Pat McAfee over college football’s two dynamic quarterbacks quickly turned ugly. Orlovsky, who’s been vouching for Fernando Mendoza over Ty Simpson for weeks now, was pushed back for his take. The outcome? Orlovsky bolted, leaving McAfee in silence.

“First time in our relationship history, [Orlovsky] didn’t answer my FaceTime last night,” Pat said in the latest episode of The Pat McAfee Show. “I think he was a little bummed out.”

“I kinda hate how he does stuff and then plays victim, I don’t like how that happens,” McAfee added. “But on that note, we love Danno. We love everything about Danno. And Danno genuinely believes everything he’s saying. I think people need to give him a little bit more credit for that, even if he does ask dumb questions like ‘What big games has Fernando Mendoza played in?’”

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For those unfamiliar, Orlovsky identifies Alabama’s Ty Simpson as the top quarterback in the 2026 NFL Draft. The take is surprising because it flies in the face of the common narrative that hails Fernando Mendoza as the top pick. 

After all, the QB led the Indiana Hoosiers to their first-ever national title in 2025 and also bagged the Heisman Trophy. Pat, on the other hand, supports Mendoza’s achievements and big on-field moments, saying everything about him justifies his reputation. However, Orlovsky held his ground, even though his take reeked of ignorance.

“What biggest games, Pat?” he asked, to which McAfee replied, “Huh?”

McAfee doubled down on his criticism by shooting a sarcastic response when Darius Butler highlighted Mendoza’s dominating performance in the college playoffs. 

“Nah, you’re right, those SEC games are bigger than the f—g  playoff games,” McAfee said sarcastically to Orlovsky. “Ok, Dan, so the College Football Playoffs are a big mockery, a scam, it doesn’t mean anything? These games don’t matter?”

The duo brought up Mendoza’s stats from some of his team’s biggest games. The interaction appeared too harsh on Orlovsky. At least, that’s what the ESPN analyst’s social media post on X suggested: “People often forget that kindness is free.”

Pat McAfee sends a message to Dan Orlovsky post-feud

The Mendoza-Simpson controversy first erupted on Monday during Dan Orlovsky’s appearance on the Get Up podcast. He analyzed the duo’s film and concluded that their games are almost on a similar level. But then he re-adjusted his assessment and explained why Simpson is the “best quarterback (2026) in this class.” 

In Dan’s view, staying calm under pressure is what separates players from “good to great.” He insists that Simpson has been more consistent in those situations, while noting instances where Mendoza drops his eyes and takes off as a runner. Orlovsky also pointed to the type of throws each quarterback has been asked to make, highlighting another area where Simpson stands out. 

“Ty Simpson is more consistent with that,” he said. “What guy was asked to do more NFL throws? When I say NFL throws, I’m talking (15- to 25-yard) in routes, crossing routes, deep corner or sail routes – Ty Simpson, and it’s not even close in that regard.”

Shortly after Orlovsky’s cryptic social media post, the former NFL kickoff specialist shared a message, “We love you, Dan.” In fact, he tried to extend the olive branch by reaching out, but to no avail. On Wednesday’s episode of the Pat McAfee Show, the host doubled down on his efforts.

“Dan Orlovsky had a long day on the internet yesterday,” McAfee said. “We would like everybody to know we love Dan Orlovsky. We birthed Dan Orlovsky. So we actually love Danno. He swam himself right into this one, so that’s on him. But we know Dan. Dan will go back to the tape. Dan will continue to do his thing. We appreciate Dan. We love Dan.”

It’s not surprising to see analysts getting carried away in defending their opinions, even if they are messy. Now, it’ll be interesting to see whether Orlovsky can handle this situation with grace like a true professional.