Ole Miss coach testifies that football comes before parenthood in wild Trinidad Chambliss courtroom exchange originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Joe Judge made a head-turning comment during his time on the stand during Trinidad Chambliss’ eligibility hearing on Thursday.
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The Ole Miss quarterback coach tried to explain his process of instruct the wifes and girlfriends of players to help the father play “good football.” This definitely caught the attention of many in the courtroom.
“This is always a tough conversation to have. It’s not going to be a popular opinion, but this is the truth,” Judge said. “We would have to educate significant others who may have been pregnant during the season or are gonna have a baby during the season, and you’d have to educate them on… You have this baby in the middle of the season, that father has to play good football.
“It’s a day-by-day production business. He has to be ready to perform and go out there and play. And when I say that, you need to let him sleep. He needs to be in another room, detached. You have to explain to the mother, like, ‘Hey, listen, he ain’t waking up for midnight feedings. After the season, he’s full metal jacket. You can do whatever you want with him. He can change every diaper, but, in season, he’s gotta have a different priority.’”
This came a little over 15 minutes after Judge took the stand in support of Chambliss. The Ole Miss Rebels quarterback is fighting the NCAA for an extra year of eligibility in Oxford following a lengthy medical issue with extensive documentation. All of which was presented prior to trial in the case.
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The suit by Chambliss outlines a series of medical complications that kept him off the field dating back to 2017, when he was exposed to the Epstein-Barr virus and contracted mononucleosis.
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Chambliss’ legal team argues the NCAA’s denial of his waiver request was a “bad-faith, unreasonable, and arbitrary decision,” and claims he would suffer irreparable financial harm without an additional year of eligibility.
After transferring from Division II Ferris State, Chambliss led the Rebels to the College Football Playoff semifinals, throwing for 3,937 yards and 22 touchdowns, and finishing 8th in Heisman voting last year.
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Chambliss’ potential 2026 NIL deal with Ole Miss is reported to be worth over $5 million, which influenced his decision to fight for a return rather than immediately enter the NFL Draft.
