TV coverage of the NFL Scouting Combine often features some unusual guests stopping by. On Saturday on NFL Network, one notable one was comedian and actor David Spade. Spade joined the booth of Rich Eisen and Daniel Jeremiah during running backs’ 40-yard dashes, and even had a story about his past playing (“It was always the 50, that’s how old I am, it was the 50”) interrupted by a blazing-fast run from Virginia Tech RB Bhayshul Tuten:
Rich Eisen and Daniel Jeremiah are joined in the NFL Network booth by… David Spade during the NFL Scouting Combine broadcast. 🏈🎬🎙️ pic.twitter.com/KWgcPL0Im1
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) March 1, 2025
Spade got back to storytelling after that, though, and even called a 40-yard-dash from Dartmouth’s Marcus Yarns. But his story following that about being asked at his hotel to sign a football that already had Travis Hunter’s signature was particularly funny:
David Spade on being asked to sign a football that already had Travis Hunter’s autograph: “I signed it Peyton Manning, I want to make it worth more.” pic.twitter.com/j2nCaVDJVS
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) March 1, 2025
“This kid at the hotel just goes ‘Will you sign my football? I already got Travis Hunter.’ I go ‘Who do you think I am?’ How many footballs out there have me and Travis Hunter?” Eisen asks “So you signed it?” Spade says “Of course,” Jeremiah interjects “You signed it Danny Woodhead?” and Spade says “No, I signed it Peyton Manning, I want to make it worth more.”
That’s pretty funny. And while this appearance from Spade (who revealed he was in town because he and Dana Carvey have a tour going on for their Fly on the Wall podcast, checked into a nearby hotel, heard about the combine, and figured he’d stop by) might have distracted a little bit from serious football analysis, it led to an entertaining break.
Of course, the length of that appearance can be debated. Spade was on the air here for at least 10 minutes, and there was also a further comedic appearance from Joey Mulinaro, so that’s certainly spending a fair bit of time away from the bread-and-butter of the serious combine coverage hardcore fans are looking for. But there is also a general audience that watches this and is interested in some of the celebrity guests. And Spade’s guest appearance did make for some funny lines and stories.
