NFL investigating verbal altercation between reporters Jordan Schultz and Ian Rapoport

It’s hard not to tell this story without giggling a little bit because it just sounds so silly. Two sports journalists write about the same event with contrasting information. The next day, they get into a verbal fight at a Starbucks. I’m not the only one who thinks it’s a little funny…

But it wasn’t so funny to the reporters, I suppose, and there could be consequences that aren’t funny at all.

On Wednesday, Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz reported that Tom Brady, minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders, had hosted a ski trip in Montana for quarterback Matthew Stafford in an attempt to seduce him into joining the Raiders team. Later that same day, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that the meeting between the two was “unplanned”.

NFL investigating verbal altercation between reporters

Both reporters are in Indianapolis for the NFL Combine and apparently they had a bit of a run-in at a Starbucks inside the JW Marriott hotel there. According to Pro Football Talk’s Mike FlorioSchultz told Rapoport, “we need to talk”.

Rapoport reportedly replied with, “No, we don’t”, and Schultz then reportedly said, “If you have anything to say it to me, say it to my f***ing face”. He also reportedly said what could be perceived as a threat: “If this continues, we’re going to have a f***ing problem.”

NFL Security was alerted about the situation and took accounts from several witnesses.

When asked about the incident, however, Schultz said he did not recall using profanity at all. While Rapoport declined to comment on the matter, Schultz wrote in a message to Pro Football Talks: “It really isn’t anything too much. Ian Rapoport and I had a verbal confrontation. It lasted a little over a minute. Multiple agents and reporters were nearby. Rapoport was the one who called security shortly after, but it never escalated further.”

The NFL is now investigating the incident. The league has no direct authority over reporters, but they do have the ability to refuse their credentials at certain events. They could also potentially bring a complaint to Fox, who is a broadcast partner with the NFL.

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