We all know that football can be an emotional game, which occasionally leads to some candid moments at press conferences. Frankly, coaches can be just as emotional as players when it comes to addressing the media. Over the years, we’ve witnessed some incredibly raw moments during press conferences, which is why we wanted to put together a list of the most memorable ever, whether they be good, bad, or ugly.
Dennis Green and the Bears
When he was coaching the Cardinals, the late Dennis green got particularly upset when his team lost to the Bears, a defeat that sent them to 1-5 on the season. Green thought his team had Chicago’s number after beating them during the preseason and then taking a 20-0 lead at halftime. But the Bears came back in the Week 6 game to win 24-23 and remain undefeated.
Green unleashed a tirade after the game, saying: “The Bears are who we thought they were,” later saying that: “We let them off the hook.” In between, Green famously implored the media to “crown their asses.” Of course, the Bears eventually went to the Super Bowl that year while Green was fired after the season.
Mike Ditka Doesn’t Name a Quarterback
Ditka had a lot of tough moments in New Orleans, but this one is at the top of the list. After a loss in 1999, Ditka was asked about who would start at quarterback the following week, to which Ditka said that it didn’t matter. He said whoever starts will starts and whoever doesn’t will back him up, calling that “clear and dry,” which is obviously not true.
Another reporter had the gall to ask Ditka why he was in a bad mood, with the coach retorting “What do you care?” In his defense, the three quarterbacks Ditka was working with were Danny Wuerffel, Billy Joe Hobert, and Billy Joe Tolliver, so you can see why he struggled to name a starter.
Jim Mora Talks About Poo
While he was coaching the Saints in 1996, he was particularly candid following a loss to the Panthers that made his team 2-6. He started by saying: “We got our ass totally kicked,” before his infamous line of: “We couldn’t do diddly poo offensively.”
He went on to explain all of the ways that his team played poorly, calling it a “horse shit performance.” But on a certain level, he was coherent with his comments, as he stuck to the same theme by saying both “diddly poo” and “horse shit.”
Jim Mora Describes His Team’s Playoff Chances
Mora was so great at press conferences that he made our list twice. This time, Mora was coaching the Colts in 2001, calling a 40-21 loss to the 49ers “disgraceful” and complaining about his team’s five turnovers. But the real highlight came when a reporter asked him about the playoffs.
To that, Mora said the word “playoffs” in a questioning and unforgettable tone several times, ultimately concluding: “I just hope we can win a game.
Herm Edwards Plays to Win the Game
Anyone who saw this press conference will remember it forever and will probably quote it if given the opportunity. His famous rant came in 2002 and lasted for well over a minute. But the highlight was him exclaiming that the great thing about sports was “you play to win the game.” He followed that up with “Hello?” directed at a reporter.
To his credit, Edwards had a lot of classic lines during his coaching career, but nothing will ever top him having to explain the art of playing to win the game.