Purdue athletic director admits Indiana insult mishap during press conference

Tommy McClelland was introduced as Purdue's new athletic director on August 6, 2026, where he made an inappropriate comment about rival Indiana. He stated, “If you don’t want to win championships, go to Indiana,” which drew criticism due to the Hoosiers’ recent national title victory. After the backlash, McClelland appeared on The Pat McAfee Show to clarify his remarks, acknowledging the mistake and emphasizing the importance of rivalries in college sports. He expressed his intention to set a standard for success at Purdue while reflecting on the consequences of his comment. McClelland's tenure at Purdue begins amid a backdrop of struggling football results over the past two years.

• 2:00 AMYahoo Sports — Purdue AD admits his Indiana insult was bad: ‘I knew it the second it left my mouth’