Just as the dust began to settle on the coffee shop bust-up between NFL insiders Jordan Schultz and Ian Rapoport, it seems Schultz isn’t done. After the NFL’s X account credited Tom Pelissero for breaking the news of Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins’ recent contract extensions, Schultz quickly set the record straight.
Jordan Schultz Reignites Feud With NFL Network Over Bengals Contract News
Tensions between Schultz and NFL Network flared again after the network credited Pelissero, their own insider, for the news of two massive contract extensions.
After months of speculation, the Cincinnati Bengals finally agreed to new deals with both Chase and Higgins. Chase became the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history, while Higgins also secured a lucrative contract to stay in Cincinnati.
When the NFL posted the news of Chase’s extension, it credited Pelissero as the source. Schultz was quick to set the record straight, replying with a screenshot of his own post, which was published significantly earlier.
“Nah.”
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) March 17, 2025
Schultz repeated the move when the NFL posted about Higgins’ deal, again crediting Pelissero. This time, Schultz tweaked his response to, “Nah (again).”
Nah (again). https://t.co/dOBTlqYZ7m
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) March 17, 2025
The time gap between Schultz’s original post and Pelissero’s was around 17 minutes. That delay was something the Fox Sports insider wasn’t about to let slide. The following day, in a post about the extensions, Schultz appeared to take another jab at his rivals.
While some of you might’ve been sleeping…. A late night double-bomb dropped. 💣💣
Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins got the bag. ⤵️⤵️ https://t.co/dOBTlqYZ7m
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) March 17, 2025
The NFL, however, always credits its own insiders as the source of its news, so it was never going to acknowledge Schultz, who works for Fox. Regardless of the standard practice, Schultz couldn’t resist pointing out that he had beaten the NFL Network to the punch.
Beef Stems From Coffee Shop Altercation Following Stafford Reports
While in Indianapolis to cover the NFL Combine, Schultz and Rapoport ended up making headlines themselves after a verbal altercation at a Starbucks. Reports say Schultz approached Rapoport, insisting they needed to talk. When Rapoport declined, Schultz allegedly launched into a verbal tirade, telling Rapoport he should handle issues face to face.
The brief encounter became one of the biggest storylines of the NFL Combine. The dispute is believed to stem from a post where Rapoport contradicted a report Schultz had previously broken.
After Schultz reported that Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford had been “hosted” by Las Vegas Raiders minority owner Tom Brady, Rapoport was quick to shoot it down.
Rapoport offered a different version of events, stating that nothing was happening “despite reports saying otherwise.”
It’s unclear whether more issues are happening behind the scenes. But based on what’s public, Schultz’s frustrations with NFL Network go beyond a single social media post. Nevertheless, the public back and forth isn’t ending anytime soon.