Matt Schneidman, the Green Bay Packers beat writer for The Athletic, covered Tuesday’s preseason team practice like so many before it. However, this time, while he was taking notice of the players, some of the players started taking notice of him. Specifically, his footwear fashion choices.
Hi @packers I’m currently getting bullied by your starting QB at practice because I’m wearing crocs with socks because I decided to wear comfortable footwear and don’t need my bare feet sweating in this heat. Please consider internal discipline.
— Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) August 10, 2021
Schneidman took some ribbing on Twitter for calling himself out over the choice to go Crocs & socks, but things got turned up a notch when the Packers’ quarterback corps turned on him publicly. Aaron Rodgers made sure to take time out to roast Schneidman with a well-placed Hangover reference.
.#crocswithsocks # https://t.co/0aZmezyy6M pic.twitter.com/pQLXCmvoly
— Aaron Rodgers (@AaronRodgers12) August 10, 2021
QB Kurt Benkert also got involved, playfully ribbing him over having the Crocs in “sports mode.”
Atleast they were in sport mode
— Kurt Benkert (@KurtBenkert) August 10, 2021
While Schneidman tried to curry favor from his fellow Crocs enthusiasts, the bottom dropped out when his own employer turned on him. So much for all those Athletic subscription discount codes…
Now my own company is frying me c’mon now https://t.co/3Fh7oGj8E7
— Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) August 10, 2021
And even Schneidman’s colleagues got in on the action.
#TeamRodgers on this one. Socks with crocs is unacceptable. The beat needs to hold its reporters accountable. https://t.co/LdDiHbAQMu
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 10, 2021
Finally, someone came to Matt’s defense. Chad Johnson himself, who showcased the Crocs & socks look he happened to be rocking at that moment.
https://twitter.com/ochocinco/status/1424812570234564624
As with any kind of playful and fun thing on social media, things eventually got weird and some folks took Schneidman way too seriously.
https://twitter.com/mattschneidman/status/1425255901687164930
And so, the saga of Matt Schneidman’s Crocs and socks completed its journey, providing a little bit of fun for the football folks on the field before social media made it weird and uncomfortable. Football is truly back, baby.
About Sean Keeley
Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.