ESPN MLB analyst Ben McDonald caught some flak for his reaction to the network’s promotion of one of the first NHL games of the season between the Chicago Blackhawks and Florida Panthers.

McDonald was on the call for the National League Wild Card Series between the Chicago Cubs and San Diego Padres when the promotion appeared.

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"If you say so, good luck to them," McDonald said when asked if he believed the Panthers could three-peat this year. "Are you asking if I’m going to be watching? … There is zero chance I’ll be watching. I’m just going to be honest with you. I will be somewhere, but there’s zero chance I’ll be watching."

John Buccigross, who is a part of ESPN’s NHL coverage, was among those who took a jab at McDonald.

"Zero is also how many postseason innings Ben McDonald pitched in his MLB career," he wrote on X.

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McDonald explained himself on Thursday during an appearance on FOX Sports’ "Wake Up Barstool."

"As far as the hockey stuff goes, when that thing pops up on the screen, I’ll be honest, I didn’t even know ESPN had the hockey contract," he said. "I know they probably paid for than a dollar or two for it. I just didn’t even know that to be honest with you. 

"Then, when I looked at the dates, that’s kind of the same time as playoff baseball. And if I got a choice between preseason or beginning of hockey season and October baseball, I’m probably leaning slightly toward playoff baseball."

Game 3 in the National League Wild Card Series between the Padres and Cubs is set for 5:08 p.m. ET.

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Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders went viral in the locker room after pantomiming during reporters’ questions, and why exactly he did it has been uncovered. 

Sanders was moving his mouth and making hand gestures, but no words were coming out of his mouth as reporters continued to try to get an audible response out of the Browns’ third-string signal caller. 

His reasoning? ESPN reported, citing team officials, that comments made by former NFL head coach Rex Ryan earlier this week on the network’s "Get Up" show are why Sanders decided to play games with reporters. 

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"This kid runs his mouth like, ‘I got could be a starting quarterback,’ with his arms crossed like this. Get your a—in the front row and study and do all that. If I know, the whole league knows," Ryan said on the program. "Quit being an embarrassment that way. You got the talent to be a quarterback. You should be embarrassed that you’re not the quarterback now."

The miming act from Sanders came after the Browns benched 40-year-old veteran quarterback Joe Flacco for rookie Dillon Gabriel, the Oregon product who was taken two rounds before Sanders in the 2025 NFL Draft. Head coach Kevin Stefanski made the move before the Browns’ Week 5 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings in London. 

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Gabriel has been Flacco’s backup since the start of the 2025 season, as Stefanski made it clear he showed more than Sanders in the preseason to win the role. Now, after the Browns began 1-3, Stefanski is giving the first crack at earning the starting job to Gabriel. 

Sanders got the first preseason start with Gabriel hurt during training camp, going 14-of-23 for 138 yards with two touchdown passes. Sanders wasn’t able to play in the second preseason game due to injury, though he did have some series in the final one. 

Gabriel, though, is the only one with regular-season action, having played 10 snaps earlier this season. He went 3-of-4 passing for 19 yards with a touchdown pass in his short time under center. 

The Browns make a change as Flacco has thrown for just two touchdowns to six interceptions, while the offense averages 14 points per game. Stefanski wants to see change, and he’s trusting Gabriel to make it happen overseas. 

Meanwhile, Flacco will be Gabriel’s backup, while Sanders remains third-string on the Browns’ depth chart.  

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