Greg Olsen is facing another wave of criticism during FOX’s broadcast, this time after appearing to identify Detroit Lions center Juice Scruggs as a New England Patriots player. The mistake drew immediate reactions from viewers.
The mix-up happened during the Lions’ Week 10 international matchup against the Patriots at Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany. Olsen, who is working alongside play-by-play announcer Joe Davis, came under fire as viewers questioned how he could confuse a player from one team with the other.
“Juice Scruggs has been traded to the Pats, according to Greg Olsen,” a fan wrote on X. Scruggs is playing for Detroit, filling in for injured center Cade Mays.
Scruggs just joined Detroit this year in a trade involving David Montgomery and a 2026 fourth-round and a 2027 seventh-round draft pick.
“Greg Olsen just called the Pats #70 Juice Scruggs. The disrespect,” another fan wrote on X.
For many fans, the glaring error was almost unbelievable.
“Did Greg Olsen just say our center was Juice Scruggs?” another viewer questioned.
Scruggs is indeed wearing No. 70 for Detroit. He has stepped into the starting lineup because Mays was ruled out with a low ankle sprain. Mays did not travel with the team to Germany, leaving Scruggs to continue filling in at center after also starting in the previous game against Miami.
The error has also revived criticism of Olsen’s commentary from earlier in the season. During FOX’s broadcast of the San Francisco 49ers’ game against the Atlanta Falcons, the former NFL tight end drew attention for confusing a hook-and-ladder play with a flea-flicker.
The two plays involve different designs. A flea-flicker starts with a handoff to the running back, who then throws the ball back to the quarterback for a pass. A hook-and-ladder is different. The receiver catches the pass and laterals it to a teammate, who tries to gain extra yards.
The mix-up led several viewers to question whether Olsen knew the difference between the two plays.
“If Greg Olsen calls that hook and ladder a flea flicker one more time, I’m going to lose it,” One fan wrote, while another joked, “Or ‘flea flicker’ as Greg Olsen likes to call it.”
Olsen’s NFL experience makes these errors stand out. He played for 14 seasons before starting his broadcasting career. During that time, he played for the Chicago Bears, Carolina Panthers, and Seattle Seahawks.
With Carolina, he became the first tight end in league history to record 1,000 receiving yards in three straight seasons, doing so from 2014 through 2016.
He has since established himself as one of FOX’s prominent NFL analysts, regularly breaking down formations, personnel and offensive decisions for viewers. That experience also brings high expectations, especially when a broadcast mistake involves identifying a player or explaining a basic football concept.
For now, the Juice Scruggs mix-up has added another social media talking point to Olsen’s broadcast season. And with fans already recalling his earlier terminology confusion, the latest slip has only intensified the scrutiny surrounding his commentary.