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Manti Te’o is joining the cast of NFL Network’s Good Morning Football this fall, and he gave viewers a preview of what to expect over the weekend.
The former Notre Dame Fighting Irish star made a great first impression, taking time to reflect on his college and professional career, both the good parts and the bad.
Te’o made headlines during his final season in South Bend for his incredible play and for an off-the-field storyline. The linebacker finished second in the 2012 Heisman voting after racking up 113 tackles and seven interceptions.
But while leading Notre Dame to a national championship appearance, a viral story of Te’o being the victim of a catfish hoax swept across college football.
The defender touched on that controversial topic during his NFL Network debut while also reliving the moments prior to his final NCAA game.
Manti Te’o admitted to being intimidated by Alabama.
https://t.co/PgnBgQFL31 pic.twitter.com/myU0MzwqaN
— Real Name: Grover (@DontrellChillis) August 17, 2024
The Crimson Tide was college football’s top team in 2012, ripping off 12 wins in 13 tries on its way to an SEC title. Alabama matched up with Notre Dame in the BCS Championship in a game that would very quickly become uncompetitive.
Manti Te’o lent reasoning as to why.
“We were the home team,” he recalled. “We came out of our locker room first. Alabama hadn’t come out of their locker room yet, so everybody stopped us at the tunnel, and told us, ‘You have to wait until Alabama comes out.’
“I’m one of the captains, I’m out in front of all my guys. My guys are hyped… Alabama’s locker room door opens, and they start running out… I vividly remember the silence behind me, and I kinda glanced back at my teammates, and the eyes on them were so large that I knew at that time, ‘This is going to be a long day…’ There was a difference with those Bama boys.”
Te’o’s comments soon made the rounds on social media, leading to responses from former Crimson Tide players.
AJ McCarron replied with the following tweet.
He is RIGHT about that. They never flinched or even got started. They stayed completely still, while we came flying off the starting line. Manti was one hell of a player and ND had some great players. I’m not bashing them but that Notre Dame team as a whole was WEAK.
-AJ McCarron / X: @10AJMcCarron
Teammate Ha Ha Clinton-Dix also responded, cryptically calling out Manti Te’o.
We want all the smoke!! It was really your fault!! I won’t get into details though.
-Ha Ha Clinton-Dix / X: @haha_cd6
Clinton-Dix alluded to Te’o being deserving of the 42-14 beatdown, though he didn’t say exactly why.
Was it due to his off-the-field hoax overshadowing Alabama’s success on the field? Many said the story provided sympathy for the Notre Dame program leading up to that title bout as they stole the headlines during the final month of the season.
Or was there another reason?
Clinton-Dix wouldn’t expand, but he says Te’o deserved everything he got!