Pro Football Talk founder and editor Mike Florio is never afraid to challenge NFL media. As free agency approaches this spring, Florio is calling out reporters doing agents’ bidding with contract news.
Speaking on The Pat McAfee Show on Tuesday, Florio criticized NFL insiders who take contract numbers at face value rather than reporting the true guaranteed money and structure of free agent deals.
“The agents use the reports of the value of the contracts they negotiate as recruiting fodder to get more clients,” Florio explained. “So when the agents sends the group text to all of the folks who are clamoring to be the first ones to win the thumb race to Twitter with the details, the reporters don’t ask questions. They don’t push back. Because you know what happens when you push back? I found out. You don’t get the texts anymore.”
Mike Florio disses NFL insiders being cozy with agents on The Pat McAfee Show.
"When the agent sends the group text to all of the folks who are clamoring to be the first ones to win the thumb race to Twitter with the details, the reporters don't ask questions. They don't push… pic.twitter.com/C3B191H1xQ
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) March 5, 2024
Throughout free agency, everyone from Adam Schefter to Ian Rapoport and beyond will send off information on contracts that are inflated. Often NFL teams use big signing bonuses and non-guarantees to save money against the salary cap.
Florio stated he does not accept the basic details but probes further. Agents don’t like that, he said.
“You start asking questions, you’re not on the text chain anymore,” Florio added. “I’m not on the text chain anymore. But … I get the real contracts.”
A former lawyer and early internet entrepreneur, Florio often reports side details and unique angles on big NFL news. His maverick persona earns him tons of criticism from NFL fans and other reporters. But he is not often completely wrong and certainly scores scoops that others miss.
That means Florio has sourcing deep in the league, even if agents have taken him off the group texts with other insiders.
About Brendon Kleen
Brendon is a Media Commentary staff writer at Awful Announcing. He has also covered basketball and sports business at Front Office Sports, SB Nation, Uproxx and more.