Skip to main content
Come Fan with UsWednesday, August 5, 2026

Furious college coach injures fan for making fun of his ‘small pants’

But what about these pants ...

If you buy something from a link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.

McCaffrey Football Camp
McCaffrey Football Camp
Photo by Andy Cross/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images
James Dator
James Dator has been covering a wide range of sports for SB Nation for over a decade, with a special focus on the NFL.

Northern Colorado assistant Max McCaffrey is in hot water after he broke his clipboard, threw it into the stands, and accidentally hit an opposing fan. Normally that could be chalked up to a simple “angry coach moment,” but this might be the first time in football history a coach blew his top after someone made fun of his pants.

The opposing fan, a high school student who was heckling McCaffrey, told the Greeley Tribune about what precipitated the clipboard toss.

“I said, ‘Hey coach, maybe you should focus on how small your pants are, rather than breaking a clipboard,” the senior told the Tribune in a text message.

McCaffrey, who yes, is the older brother of Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey was incensed when his younger brother, and Northern Colorado quarterback Dylan McCaffrey threw an interception. It seems the pants comment was the straw that broke the camel’s back.

Let’s bundle all that together and it’s hilarious, but I’m dying to know what’s going on with these pants. Perhaps the fan misspoke and he meant “tight,” but let’s give him the benefit of the doubt and assume he meant small.

What are “small pants”? I had to know. Google searches turned up plenty of photos of the elder McCaffrey brother, but he’s almost exclusively wearing athletic shorts, not pants at all. Did this teen think shorts were small pants? Was the coach wearing overly tight shorts? Is this a third possibility all together, like some athletic capris or even flood pants?

Obviously whatever these pants are, McCaffrey has an attachment to them. Nobody gets upset when someone makes fun of clothes unless it’s an article they really like. I’m led to believe there’s something special about these pants, something cherished. So when a teen makes fun of these “small pants” the coach lost it, because it’s like making fun of a child to him.

This sent me on a quest to discover what the “small pants” were. Obviously it’s an article of clothing, it could be anything — but we had some clues to go off.

  • McCaffrey always wears athletic shorts.
  • Every photo of him shows a penchant for black shorts.
  • There would need to be something unique about these pants to warrant anger.

Finally, after searching for “small pants” at several retailers, I found these from Amazon, which fit the bill.

The “FASKUNOIE Men’s Cotton Casual Shorts 3/4 Jogger Capri Pants Breathable Below Knee Short Pants with Three Pockets” fit every category here. They’re joggers that would appear from stands like they’re just really small pants. They fit McCaffrey’s pants wheelhouse with a twist, meaning I could see him having pride in these pants because they are more unique than the other pants in his wardrobe.

Time will tell. We all just want to see the pants.

h/t To the brilliant Matt Brown, who sent me down this rabbit hole.

College Football
Heisman Trophy rankings: Predicting college football’s top contenders for 2026Heisman Trophy rankings: Predicting college football’s top contenders for 2026
College Football

College football’s long list of Heisman Trophy candidates entering 2026 season

By Mark Schofield
College Football
College Football Reacts: Are patch deals ok for the game?College Football Reacts: Are patch deals ok for the game?
College Football

Let us know how you feel about the takeover of patch deals in college football

By Kyle Thele
College Football
College football rankings: Preseason top-25 teams, according to usCollege football rankings: Preseason top-25 teams, according to us
College Football

Here’s our top-25 teams in college football.

By Mark Schofield
NFL Draft beat
How NFL-ready is Arch Manning?How NFL-ready is Arch Manning?
NFL Draft beat

Arch Manning is the presumptive QB1 in the 2027 draft class that’s supposed to be generational. What does he need to improve in order to make that a reality?

By Doug Farrar
College Football
College Football 27 review: The greatest meal that leaves a bad taste in your mouthCollege Football 27 review: The greatest meal that leaves a bad taste in your mouth
College Football

Brilliant in so many ways, flawed in one key area.

By James Dator
NFL
Brendan Sorsby stuck as NFL announces NO Supplemental Draft in 2026Brendan Sorsby stuck as NFL announces NO Supplemental Draft in 2026
NFL

Another setback for the QB.

By James Dator

Comments
Loading comments
Getting the conversation ready...