As social media platforms like X continue to sacrifice guardrails and integrity for engagement and profit, the ability for anyone to go viral for making up a fake quote is not only easier than ever but is incentivized.
That’s why we’ve seen a significant rise in made-up quotes being attributed to famous people across X, Facebook, and other platforms where moderation has been rolled back or eliminated completely. And for those who don’t pay close attention or get duped easily, it’s become all too common to think what you’re seeing is true just because it showed up in your feed.
ESPN’s Ryan Clark has been among many public figures to address this issue. The oft-outspoken NFL analyst has made controversial comments in the past, so there is perhaps less of a barrier for some to believe anything they see with his name attached. However, instances of fake quotes about race and other hot-button issuesgo beyond the pale and happen all too frequently to the former NFL star.
At first glance, the X account for “Adam Ferrell,” featuring a professional-looking photo and “NFL insider and reporter” in the bio, might seem legit (that is, before you see the word parody in the bio and peruse the timeline full of fake news). On Sunday, the account posted a fake quote attributed to Clark about Fernando Mendoza that infers a racial accusation about how he will be covered at the NFL combine. The post also includes images of both.
That post went viral before it was Community Note’d (not only is the quote fake, but Mendoza is half-Cuban), and Clark himself felt the need to address it.
“Bro!! It’s crazy that folks can just make things up,” he wrote on X. “This is so dang fake and false!! Just want to piss people off I see and lessen someone’s voice! I did not say this!! Also Mendoza isn’t… NEVER MIND! Is this dude a real human? Adam Ferrell can’t be a real person just lying!
Clark later followed up to remind people that if a quote about him is circulating without a video to verify it, he didn’t say it.
Unfortunately for Clark and others, X’s platform puts engagement ahead of truth, and considering posts like these can be monetized, there’s little recourse for them to stop (unless they burn too bright and get caught). If anything, we expect “Adam Ferrell” to be a Kalshi or Polymarket partner by Tuesday.
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.