ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter is no stranger to getting it wrong. In March of 2017, he proclaimed that the New England Patriots would not trade then-backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo for four first-round picks. Seven months later, Jimmy G was shipped to the San Francisco 49ers. The Patriots received a second-round pick in return.
So, technically, Schefter was correct, but his initial insinuation was not that the Patriots were seeking less in a trade than four first-round picks, but more. It did not go unnoticed by fans and insiders alike, and it took quite some time for that egg to slide off his face. His most recent misreporting, however, doesn’t feel as simple as getting it wrong. There appears to be something more nefarious in this misstep.
Early October 10th, Schefter looked to break some NFL news and stated that the Arizona Cardinals were finalizing a deal to trade wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. The report was fishy on the surface, since he failed to mention a trade partner or potential compensation. Fans took him for his word, though, since Harrison appeared to be on the outs for weeks now.
More than 24 hours later, there’s still no word on the details of this finalized trade, but a plethora of questions. Some reports are even suggesting that while the Cardinals are still not going to play Harrison against Detroit, they are actively taking and making calls trying to find a trade partner. The belief among some on social media is that the Cardinals received an offer and asked Schefter to report the deal was “being finalized” to get more offers or increase the offer they had on the table.
Adam Schefter Was Used, And He Doesn’t Seem To Mind
Sports media has become a dog-eat-dog world, and reputations are at stake with every breaking story. If someone wants to be referred to as an “insider”, they need to be the first one reporting a story, and that makes them susceptible to reporting anything they are told, no matter how true or false it may be. Schedfter was the first to report the finalized trade, and so far, he’s the only one reporting it, because it was concocted by Arizona.
Should Schefter be angry or feel betrayed? No. As far as media personalities are concerned, it’s all a part of the game. They break a fake story as a favor to an organization, and then when something real happens, the team will throw that bone as well. Being wrong isn’t even a bad deal for Schefter, because the story did get his name in the headlines for 24 hours, and when the trade actually happens, no one will remember him taking an Arizona handout. It’s a two-stories-for-one deal that keeps the illusion of being an insider.
Harrison will be traded, and the return will not be what the Cardinals want, because he’s a bust who is on pace for 17 catches in 17 games. Arizona was hoping to get a second-round pick for their former top-five selection, but since no one wants to offer that, they threw out a fake story to get more bidders on the line. By all accounts, it didn’t work, and the Cardinals will have to take whatever deal they have or keep the underperforming pass catcher.
As for Schefter, ESPN will continue to call him an insider, and teams will continue feeding him bad information to serve their own ends. As the trade deadline approaches, and especially heading into next year’s draft, no educated fan should believe anything that Schefter reports.
