When you go in opposition to the grain, even should you consider you’re proper, criticism often follows. Dan Orlovsky discovered himself in that spot after calling Ty Simpson a higher quarterback than Fernando Mendoza. While that take drew loads of pushback, it was Pat McAfee who took it a step additional, going after Orlovsky reside on his present.
That second rapidly picked up traction. One consumer on X identified how Orlovsky typically will get challenged by McAfee and his crew. And quickly after, the previous Baltimore Ravens‘ secondary coach Chuck Pagano reshared it with his own take, calling Orlovsky a “punching bag.”
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“Punching bag! But such a great sport and Human,” Pagano wrote.
Indeed! Since retiring, Orlovsky has built a reputation as a well-liked analyst on ESPN. But his opinions, especially strong ones, tend to draw heat. That’s precisely what occurred right here.
With the 2026 draft approaching, the main focus has shifted to who will go No. 1 and who stands out as the highest quarterback. Lots of projections lean towards Mendoza, probably even to the Las Vegas Raiders. Orlovsky, though, sees it differently.
“I think Ty Simpson is QB1, I think Ty Simpson is the best quarterback in this class,” Orlovsky mentioned. “I think when we look at the body of work and what was asked of these two quarterbacks, you have to start with the question, who needed to do more to carry their football team to play well? Ty Simpson and it’s not close between those two quarterbacks.”
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While that doesn’t imply Orlvosky thought Simpson can be picked at No. 1, his level was about total analysis, and never draft place. Still, that distinction didn’t gradual the response on social media. And then got here The Pat McAfee Show.
McAfee opened by mentioning that he and his crew had watched Mendoza in individual through the largest video games. Orlovsky pushed again instantly.
“What biggest games?”
That query caught the room off guard and led to a transient pause. But McAfee leaned into it, pointing to Mendoza’s performances within the College Football Playoff and questioning how these moments might be dismissed.
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“So the College Football Playoff is big mockery and scam. Doesn’t mean anything. These games just don’t matter?” McAfee began sarcastically. “They have a full [expletive] committee! They have billions of dollars in TV rights for what the biggest games are.”
The change picked up from there. Orlovsky acknowledged the purpose however shifted to the Big Ten Championship, highlighting Indiana’s offensive struggles by three quarters. That’s when somebody from McAfee’s crew jumped in with, “And then what?” referring to the eventual final result, as Indiana pulled off the victory.
From there, it changed into a back-and-forth. McAfee stored urgent for readability, whereas Orlovsky stood his floor and defended his analysis. But the strain didn’t finish there. On his subsequent episode, McAfee revealed that Orlovsky didn’t decide up his FaceTime name after the change, whereas additionally suggesting that Orlovsky leaned into taking part in the sufferer after what unfolded on reside TV.
“First time in our relationship history, [Orlovsky] didn’t answer my FaceTime last night,” McAfee mentioned. “I think he was a little bummed out.”
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“I kinda hate how he does stuff and then plays victim, I don’t like how that happens. 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?’”
All of it circles again to Pagano’s remark. Orlovsky took the hits, stayed within the dialog, and didn’t again off his stance. Even after getting known as out on McAfee’s present, he doubled down, persevering with to make his case, simply on a completely different platform again at ESPN.
Ty Simpson vs. Fernando Mendoza: Dan Orlovsky continues his quarterback argument
It’s not that Ty Simpson is a unhealthy quarterback. He’s firmly among the many high prospects heading into the 2026 NFL Draft. But the dialogue right here isn’t about whether or not he’s good or not. It’s about whether he brings more to the table than Fernando Mendoza. And for Dan Orlovsky, that dialog comes down to 1 factor: “traits versus tape.”
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“I don’t have anything negative to say about [Fernando] Mendoza, I’ve been adamant about that. I think he’s a good player,” Orlovsky mentioned on First Take. “It’s a traits versus tape argument for me. I understand that Fernando Mendoza has a lot of the traits that a lot of the quarterbacks in the NFL are built upon… Ty Simpson, for me, has better tape.”
That framing is precisely why this debate has picked up traction. Evaluating quarterbacks by traits versus tape virtually all the time results in cut up opinions, and that’s what’s occurring right here.
December 06, 2025: Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza 15 holds up MVP trophy after NCAA, College League, USA soccer recreation motion between the Indiana Hoosiers and the Ohio State Buckeyes at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. /CSM Indianapolis United States of America – ZUMAc04_ 20251206_zma_c04_704 Copyright: xJohnxMersitsx
From a tape perspective, Simpson has given Orlovsky sufficient to work with. He’s began 15 video games in school, going 11-4, and that pattern has clearly stood out.
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“I think that there are more examples of me watching Ty Simpson drop back to pass, NFL concepts, stuff that quarterbacks we see do on a consistent basis in the NFL. I think he’s got very fast eyes,”Orlovsky raved about Simpson.
On the opposite facet, Mendoza’s résumé is tough to miss. He’s extensively considered because the consensus No. 1 decide, coming off a 16-0 season at Indiana that ended with a nationwide championship. He threw for 3,535 yards and 41 touchdowns, placing collectively some of the full seasons in current reminiscence.
So whereas each quarterbacks convey actual expertise to the desk, Mendoza seems to carry the sting proper now. Orlovsky might not see it that approach, however that’s what makes this dialog attention-grabbing. The actual reply, as all the time, will begin to present as soon as the draft unfolds and each gamers step into their rookie seasons.
