Kirk Herbstreit attempts to clarify comments about players loving football

On College GameDay Saturday morning, Kirk Herbstreit made some interesting comments about current student athletes. Saturday afternoon, he went to Twitter and tried to clarify them.

Herbstreit came under fire for saying “this era of players doesn’t love football” ahead of the New Year’s Day slate of bowl games. After he said that, host Rece Davis gave him a chance to clarify on the air — and Herbstreit posted that video with his tweet.

Just wanted to clarify some of my comments from earlier today. Of course some players love the game the same today as ever. But some don’t. I’ll always love the players of this game and sorry if people thought I generalized or lumped them all into one category. pic.twitter.com/PS9Pu5rcoo

— Kirk Herbstreit (@KirkHerbstreit) January 1, 2022

“Just wanted to clarify some of my comments from earlier today,” Herbstreit tweeted. “Of course some players love the game the same today as ever. But some don’t. I’ll always love the players of this game and sorry if people thought I generalized or lumped them all into one category.”

The comments were regarding the amount of players opting out of bowl games. Plenty of big names decided not to play in the games to focus on getting ready for the NFL Draft. However, teams in the College Football Playoff had everyone as they compete for the national championship.

Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard sound off on ‘meaningless’ bowl games

Bowl game opt-outs have become a topic of discussion across college football. On Saturday’s edition of College GameDay, Kirk Herbstreit and Desmond Howard had some harsh comments about that idea.

Plenty of big names opted out of bowl games this year to get ready for the NFL Draft. However, players — obviously — stayed with their team for College Football Playoff games to compete for a national championship. Fans have also called bowl games “meaningless” unless they’re part of the College Football Playoff.

For his part, Herbstreit didn’t hold back with his thoughts about bowl games not mattering.

“What’s the difference as a player in saying these games are ‘meaningless’ when, Des, we played in quote-unquote ‘meaningless games,’” Herbstreit said. “I just don’t understand if you don’t make it to the playoff, how is it ‘meaningless’ to play football and compete? Isn’t that what we do as football players? We compete?

“So I don’t know if changing or expanding it is going to change anything. I really don’t. I think this era of players doesn’t love football.”

Howard voiced a similar sentiment in response.

“We’re dealing with a totally different mentality when we’re dealing with these student-athletes nowadays, especially football players,” Howard said. “I mean, their whole mentality right now is about the championship, the Playoff … because of that, they don’t value the bowl games. Now, when we were coming up, Herbstreit and myself, to go to a bowl game was a huge reward for a fantastic season. That’s what it meant. It was like, ‘OK, your team played this well, so you’re going to be rewarded by going to a bowl game, you’re going to get a ring, you’re going to get swag.’

“Now, kids don’t really care about that. They have a sense of entitlement, and it’s like if [they’re] not going to the one that matters, it just doesn’t have as much value to them as it did us growing up.”