'I'm never going to live this down': NFL players share tales of thrill and agony over college rivalries

ASHBURN, Va. -- The garment did not look close connected Washington Commanders receiver Terry McLaurin, but a bet's a bet.

He enactment connected Michigan colors. A subordinate reared successful scarlet and grey present had to don maize and bluish acknowledgment to Ohio State's nonaccomplishment to the Wolverines past year. Two days aft the game, McLaurin showed up successful a squad gathering wearing the Michigan apical with teammate Khaleke Hudson's sanction and No. 7 connected the back.

It's a ritual that plays retired successful each NFL locker country during the season, a subordinate losing a stake due to the fact that the assemblage helium played for mislaid to different teammate's school. It's not astir wealth changing hands; it's astir pride. It's astir showing up successful different team's garment -- oregon overalls. Maybe it's the joyousness of seeing different subordinate proclaiming connected video that the different broadside is the best. Or possibly it's seeing adjacent the GOAT tin beryllium humbled.

"For maine to airs successful Michigan blue? That's nasty," McLaurin said, repeating the past enactment a mates of times for emphasis.

Of course, 1 of the archetypal teammates to remark connected McLaurin's garment was Commanders long-snapper Camaron Cheeseman, who besides played astatine Michigan.

"You look bully wearing our colors," Cheeseman told him.

Even now, McLaurin shudders erstwhile retelling the story.

"It was benignant of embarrassing," McLaurin said. "But that's wherefore guys bash it, due to the fact that your money, that comes and goes, but the bragging rights, you wearing the different team's cogwheel and perchance having to station it connected societal media. ... I decidedly would alternatively suffer my wealth than travel successful present successful that Michigan blue, similar past year."

McLaurin yet got the past laugh, though, pointing to the fig of times helium bushed the Wolverines implicit his 5 years successful Columbus.

"I hatred to beryllium this guy, they bushed us, but I'm like, 'When I was determination you didn't bushed maine Khaleke.' I thrust with Ohio State, truthful they lost. But erstwhile I was there, I got 5 golden pants if we're going to truly number it," McLaurin said, referring to the golden charms fixed to Buckeyes players for beating Michigan.

McLaurin is hardly unsocial successful having to grant a bet. And portion these scenes spell connected passim the season, it intensifies this week with a fig of large rivalries -- specified arsenic Ohio State-Michigan, Alabama-Auburn and adjacent Iowa-Nebraska -- kicking off.

'Schmediums look good'

THE TRASH TALK and bets commencement due to the fact that of a elemental information astir NFL players.

"We person a competitory nature, that's wherefore we play this sport," Atlanta Falcons country Darren Hall said.

Competition is simply a portion of being successful the locker country -- whether it's arguing implicit hoops skills, cornhole games oregon adjacent putting contests. When it comes to their schools, it gets much intense. NFL teams prime their players, but the players picked their colleges. Even though immoderate players notation bets that could scope 4 figures, astir each said it wasn't astir money. They're prideful; they're loyal.

"Somebody astatine that programme had to judge successful you to get you successful the school," Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither said. "And that translated into you getting to the NFL. It works manus successful manus to me."

Bengals manager Zac Taylor allows players to deterioration their assemblage swag during Saturday walk-throughs, and it's evident who mislaid a stake from the erstwhile week.

Arizona Cardinals antiaircraft lineman Zach Allen, who went to Boston College, had to deterioration a Wake Forest T-shirt, courtesy of wide receiver Greg Dortch, aft BC mislaid to Wake past month

"The garment was similar a frickin' medium," Allen said. "I made it look bully though. ... There are nary examples of Dortch and I going against each other, truthful it's chill worldly similar that, it brings the full 53[-man roster] together. People get invested due to the fact that they bask seeing a 285-pound feline successful a size medium."

But, arsenic teammate Maxx Williams said, "Schmediums look good."

Williams should know: The erstwhile Minnesota Golden Gophers choky extremity mislaid his ain stake to teammate Trace McSorley, a erstwhile Penn State quarterback. So he, too, wore a skin-tight garment that was 1 size excessively tiny and truthful a choky mean -- hence "schmedium."

"It's fun," McSorley said. "It lightens it up."

Cardinals backmost Colt McCoy, a Texas alum, looked glum portion wearing a Texas Tech garment connected societal media earlier this twelvemonth -- acknowledgment to a stake mislaid to a brace of Arizona teammates.

Cardinals manager Kliff Kingsbury, who coached Tech from 2013 to 2018, was not 1 of those who wagered with McCoy, however.

"I'm not wearing that burnt orangish s---, I tin guarantee you," Kingsbury said.

But helium saw the symptom successful McCoy's look successful the photo.

"He looks similar his canine died, man," Kingsbury said.

In 2018, erstwhile McCoy played for the Commanders, helium got to spot erstwhile Oklahoma punter Tress Way deterioration a Longhorns garment each time successful and retired of the facility. They besides had a lasting stake each year: a six-pack of their choice.

"It was painful," Way said astir wearing the shirt. "But that's the amusive of it; assemblage shot is the best."

Hall mislaid a stake to Falcons moving backmost Avery Williams erstwhile Boise State bushed San Diego State. Hall was going to springiness Williams an Aztecs backpack, possibly a hat. As helium said, "Nothing crazy." But Williams showed up with his Boise State jersey, truthful Hall wore it each day.

"I sported it due to the fact that he's my favourite player," Hall said.

"I could person fixed him my helmet, too, but I wouldn't bash that to him," Williams said. "His large caput astir apt couldn't acceptable successful my helmet."

Players ticker games unneurotic successful the eating country during squad meals Saturday nighttime astatine the hotel. The Commanders, for example, person 3 TVs acceptable up during squad meals. Other times idiosyncratic groups volition stitchery successful edifice rooms to ticker games.

"You don't privation your squad playing and losing," antiaircraft extremity Shaka Toney said.

If you're from, say, Georgia, each comers are welcome. If they dare.

"That's the worst part, due to the fact that we each get paid beauteous well, truthful a $20 stake present and determination is not arsenic atrocious arsenic having to deterioration the different team's colors," said Falcons linebacker Lorenzo Carter, who played astatine Georgia. "It's hard being a Georgia Bulldog. People spot america and get intimidated and don't privation to marque those bets. I haven't won arsenic overmuch arsenic I wanted due to the fact that everyone's beauteous scared."

'Everybody hates Bama'

IT'S ALMOST UNIVERSAL successful NFL locker rooms: Players basal against Alabama. What's besides true: The Crimson Tide players person the trump paper successful galore cases that quiescent conversations adjacent aft a uncommon loss.

After all, they've won six nationalist championships since 2009 nether manager Nick Saban.

Take New England Patriots linebacker Mack Wilson Sr., for example. When the erstwhile Crimson Tide standout played with the Cleveland Browns, helium had to wage disconnected his stake to teammates Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham Jr. aft Alabama mislaid to LSU successful 2019. So, Wilson showed up aboriginal that time wearing an LSU T-shirt to squad meetings.

But helium besides wore thing else: jewelry. He snapped a selfie wearing 4 title rings, 2 connected each hand, from his clip astatine Alabama.

"Before I near the location to spell to the squad edifice I made definite I grabbed each my rings and brought them to the hotel," Wilson, who won a nationalist championship, 2 SEC championships and an SEC West rubric successful his 3 years astatine Alabama, said. "I wore them and I was messing with them the full day."

LSU defeated Alabama again this season. Two of Wilson's Patriots teammates played astatine LSU: cornerback Jalen Mills and antiaircraft tackle Davon Godchaux. But Wilson was acceptable for them.

"I went 3-0 against them," Wilson said.

@obj , @God_Son80 present y'all go. Ima caput connected retired ✌🏾😂 #RollTide4L 🐘 pic.twitter.com/MFHeeU8Mja

Toney, a erstwhile Penn State standout present connected the Commanders signifier squad, summed it up: "Everybody successful the NFL hates Bama. I similar success. I respect what they're doing, but everybody hates Bama."

The Commanders person 4 players from Alabama -- antiaircraft linemen Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen, arsenic good arsenic moving backmost Brian Robinson and receiver Cam Sims.

Despite Alabama losing 2 games this play and the nationalist title crippled past year, it volition instrumentality much to termination the Tide's vibe successful NFL locker rooms.

"They're Bama until they're not Bama nary more," Toney said. "People springiness Bama slack for their losses. But until you spot consecutive years -- and it has to beryllium aggregate years; it has to beryllium Bama don't look similar Bama. It's tough."

Teammate James Smith-Williams, a antiaircraft end, summed it up: "Jon and Payne person similar 5 nationalist championships. What tin you accidental to that?"

Jacksonville Jaguars violative tackle Cam Robinson -- different ex-Alabama subordinate -- said helium knows who reigns ultimate successful the Jags' locker room, adjacent though rookie linebacker Travon Walker played connected Georgia's nationalist title squad past year.

"You're talking astir about apt the top assemblage shot dynasty ever," Robinson said of Alabama. "It's maine and lone maine if I'm being honest. Josh [Allen] runs his rima [about Kentucky]; I don't cognize why, it's a hoops school. Travon tin speech a small bit. Daniel Thomas [from Auburn] likes to speech a lot. Who knows why? He can't truly accidental much."

Falcons linebacker Rashaan Evans, who played astatine Alabama from 2014 to 2017, said successful the past teammates were "too scared" to stake him erstwhile their schoolhouse played Alabama. But moving backmost Cordarrelle Patterson had nary specified qualms earlier his Tennessee Volunteers bushed Alabama connected Oct. 15.

Evans had to deterioration orangish and achromatic checkered overalls. It made him laugh. He besides revealed, erstwhile again, the mindset of the Alabama players.

"It was bound to hap eventually. It was amusive for maine due to the fact that yet idiosyncratic bushed us. It gets boring winning sometimes."

"If you can't bushed em past articulation em!"@616evans4 pic.twitter.com/sBIZ1y1Lc8

'Undefeated connected the mic'

FALCONS LINEBACKER WILL Compton developed a estimation successful the NFL for 1 happening successful particular: defending Nebraska, which is wherever helium played from 2008 to 2012.

Compton turned his orator skills into the fashionable "Bussin with the Boys" podcast, wherever helium made the lawsuit this summertime for an 11-1 play by the Cornhuskers. They're 3-8. Last year, helium dubbed them the champion three-win squad successful assemblage shot past -- it didn't triumph immoderate bets, but it did unopen down immoderate arguments.

While Nebraska was 48-20 during his 5 years successful Lincoln, the schoolhouse has lone 3 winning seasons since, and nary since 2016.

"One happening I ever said astir Compton: He was undefeated connected the mic," Way, who was teammates with Compton successful Washington, said. "He could beryllium dormant incorrect and find a mode to triumph the argument. It would beryllium him against the full locker room. He was the champion successful that regard."

Here's however Compton did it:

"A radical would stitchery astir maine and I'd drawback 1 idiosyncratic who laughs oregon chuckles whose squad got destroyed," helium said. "I'd support myself and instantly constituent astatine the different loser successful the country and get the spotlight connected him and propulsion 7 antithetic kinds of fume connected that feline until thing was said astir Nebraska."

But adjacent Compton has to wage up connected his bets. And helium knows the payoff mightiness hap again this week erstwhile Iowa plays Nebraska, courtesy of his yearly wager with San Francisco 49ers choky extremity George Kittle.

If Nebraska loses for the eighth consecutive clip to the Hawkeyes, Compton volition grounds yet different video. In it, he'll person to proclaim Iowa's superiority and outcry retired the Hawkeyes connected societal media erstwhile again.

In 2020, Compton looked arsenic if helium was being forced to work a connection connected video. After declaring helium wasn't going to "talk astir maine being 2-0 [against Iowa], getting subordinate of the crippled 1 year; that's irrelevant," Compton took a heavy enactment and looked distant from the camera.

"They are the large member of the border. They are the much superior program."

Nine seconds passed earlier helium continued.

"I privation I had committed to Kirk Ferentz and the Iowa Hawkeyes backmost successful 2008, and I privation I had ne'er went to Nebraska due to the fact that Iowa is the amended shot team." He past called Kittle a "sick SOB" for making him bash the video.

But Compton isn't astir to change.

"I s--- talk," helium said. "I inactive get texts from guys I played with. They'll archer maine they tune successful to spot what Nebraska is doing -- erstwhile they're doing atrocious they'll sprout maine a message. They'll archer maine they privation to spot if they're winning oregon losing to cognize what authorities of caput I'll beryllium in."

Nor are players connected different teams astir to change. They bask it excessively much.

"Definitely it's fun," Wilson said. "It's astir each time idiosyncratic brings up immoderate communicative from college, whether it's astir them oregon successful general. We're ever talking trash."

Undefeated against the GOAT

IN EIGHT SEASONS playing with Tom Brady successful New England, there's 1 crippled erstwhile NFL information Nate Ebner ne'er lost: the Ohio State-Michigan game. Every year, Brady, possibly Michigan's astir celebrated shot alum, was convinced it was The Year. It wasn't. So, 8 times helium had to wage disconnected a stake to his teammate from Ohio State.

After a while, Ebner, who played with Brady from 2012 to 2019, wanted to beryllium much originative successful what helium asked Brady to bash aft a Michigan loss. And due to the fact that determination were 2 Ohio State players and 2 Michigan players involved, Ebner knew what to do: Have them onslaught an O-H-I-O pose. Brady formed the H; antiaircraft lineman Chase Winovich was the I, and ex-Buckeye John Simon bookended the O's with Ebner.

"[Winovich] is astir apt 1 of the astir annoying Michigan players of each time," Ebner said. "There was thing amended than to spot him bash it with us."

It led to a photograph Ebner posted connected his Instagram page. It wasn't the archetypal clip Brady had to swallow his pridefulness aft a bet, either: In 2012, helium wore then-teammate Mike Vrabel's Ohio State jersey implicit his pads successful practice.

Seven years later, it was Ebner's crook to onslaught a airs with Brady that Ohio State fans adored. He said Brady was a bully athletics for paying disconnected the bet. He says Brady is the champion backmost of each time, but Ebner knows helium has an precocious manus successful 1 area. And by the clip Michigan bushed Ohio State past twelvemonth -- its archetypal triumph since 2011 -- Ebner was connected to the Giants and Brady was with Tampa Bay.

"You tin spot the look connected his look like, 'I can't judge I'm doing this close now,'" Ebner said of the 2019 photo. "He didn't person a batch to say, but helium did say, 'I'm ne'er going to unrecorded this down.' ... Maybe I could get with immoderate charities astir Columbus to rise wealth with that representation due to the fact that it's specified a peculiar Ohio State picture. Maybe 1 time I'll get Tom to motion a transcript for me."

Mike Rothstein, Ben Baby, Mike Reiss, Josh Weinfuss and Michael DiRocco contributed to this story.