Joe Judge, quarterbacks coach at Ole Miss, advised players’ romantic interests to allow them to be “detached” fathers throughout the season.
Judge delivered his controversial remarks when testifying in court on behalf of 23-year-old quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, who challenged the NCAA denying him a waiver to play another year at Ole Miss – his sixth as a collegiate athlete.
During his testimony, the topic of fatherhood appeared, and Joe Judge said he advises young mothers of his players’ children to let their romantic partners “detach” from the burden of fatherhood.
“This is always a tough conversation to have. It’s not a popular thing, but this is the truth,” said Judge.
“We would have to educate significant others who may have been pregnant during the season, or were gonna have a baby during the season, that you would have to educate them on, you have this baby in the middle of the season, [but] that father has to play good football,” he continued.
“It’s a day-by-day production business. He has to be ready to perform and go out there and play. And why I say that is, 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,” he concluded. “After the season, he’s Full Metal Jacket. You do whatever you want with him, and he can change every diaper, but in the season, he’s got to have a different priority.”
Social media did not exactly appreciate Judge’s paternal advice.