Todd McShay has revealed what was behind his beef with ESPN’s Paul Finebaum after the feud exploded earlier this week.
In a long rant during Thursday’s episode of his self-titled podcast, McShay ripped Finebaum for dismissing his reporting around Jalen Carter before the 2023 NFL Draft.
“When I say he’s an all-time coward, that’s why I say it,” McShay said. “When I say he has no loyalty, that’s why I say it. And to be honest with you, I think the guy’s a rat. And so he’s perfect to be a politician.”
During an appearance on the “Stugotz and Company” podcast on Wednesday, McShay explained that his issue with Finebaum stretches back to his days at the Worldwide Leader.
“I worked with Paul under the same umbrella for about a decade,” McShay said. “There were several things that rubbed me the wrong way.”
And he claims he wasn’t alone.
“There were people who just didn’t like Paul in the building,” McShay said. “We’d go out to, whether it was the Rose Bowl or a bowl game or the national championship, and he would be there. And the comments from other people that I would overhear or be in a circle of people talking, ‘He didn’t look like the rest of us, he didn’t know ball.’ All those things.”
McShay said there were moments where Finebaum “crossed the line” that made him question his loyalty as a teammate at ESPN, but it wasn’t until a couple of years ago that he truly had it with the SEC Network personality.
After McShay, one of the top draft analysts out there, reported that some teams weren’t sure about Carter’s work ethic and maturity level, the former Bulldog would later be revealed to be driving the car that killed Georgia offensive lineman Devin Willock and staffer Chandler LeCroy in January 2023.
Finebaum essentially denied McShay’s reporting, saying he heard the “contrary” about Carter’s character and calling out the draft expert by name during an appearance on “First Take.”
That, McShay said Wednesday, was his breaking point with Finebaum.
“The Jalen Carter situation … was what pushed me off the edge,” McShay said. “I don’t trust the man. I think he’s a coward of a man. And that’s it.”
“He didn’t call me directly to get background. He didn’t call for my comments. He didn’t have me on his show,” McShay added on Thursday’s podcast. “He did nothing but keep my name coming out of his mouth in a negative regard.”
McShay’s comments come just days after ripped Finebaum for his continuous criticism of Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer.
Earlier this week, Finebaum said that he was contemplating leaving sports media to run for United States Senate as a Republican.
