NFL Insiders Shift Online Beef To In-Person Confrontation At Starbucks Counter At NFL Combine
INDIANAPOLIS – NFL Security is investigating a confrontation between, get this, two NFL reporters at odds over their differing versions of the same story, a source has confirmed to OutKick.
The genesis of the verbal confrontation began on X, of course, Wednesday afternoon between Fox Sports reporter Jordan Schultz and NFL Media reporter Ian Rapoport.
NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 23: United States Army veteran and motivational speaker Noah Galloway (L) speaks with former Huffington Post sports columnist Jordan Schultz at AOL Build Presents Noah Galloway Discussing His Book "Living With No Excuses" at AOL HQ on August 23, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Monica Schipper/WireImage)
Online Exchange Goes Face-To-Face
The online exchange included Schultz reporting Tom Brady met with and hosted Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford at his home in Montana and the two went skiing together. Rapoport followed that report by insisting the meeting was unplanned and had little to do with Brady, a Las Vegas Raiders minority owner, recruiting the quarterback to switch teams to the Raiders.
It was a funny tit-for-tat online.
It turned slightly more serious at the Starbucks counter on the second floor of the JW Marriott Hotel here. The JW is the de-facto headquarters for NFL people attending the combine.
And, according to one witness, that is where an obviously aggravated Schultz confronted Rapoport. OutKick's witness did not hear the exchange between the men but only noticed the increasing tension of both.
ProFootball Talk reported, according to other witnesses, that Schultz told Rapoport they needed to talk. And Rapoport said they had nothing to discuss.
The site reported Schultz was apparently angry Rapoport didn't speak to him face-to-face before contradicting his story on X.
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - FEBRUARY 3: NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport speaks on camera during Super Bowl LIX Opening Night at Caesars Superdome on February 3, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
Starbucks Venue Of Confrontation Ironic
The two men found themselves face-to-face around the Starbucks counter, which is ironic because Schultz is the son of the former longtime Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz.
No word on whether Rapoport will thus be banned from drinking coffee at Starbucks in the future.
But seriously folks, Rapoport apparently felt concerned enough about the encounter that he called NFL Security. He is, you must recall, an employee of NFL Media.
Schultz then called all the law enforcement officers on all Fox TV cop shows.
No he didn't.
The NFL Security investigation will include witness statements taken at the scene. There were no punches thrown, according to the OutKick witness.
There were, however, some bruised professional egos obviously leading to this incident.