Zaire Franklin and Jeff Teague Credit: Club 520
By Sean Keeley on

Things got pretty heated between former NBA star Jeff Teague and Indianapolis Colts linebacker Zaire Franklin on Monday’s episode of Club 520.

On Tuesday, Teague apologized.

Things started going downhill on Monday’s episode when, during a conversation about the Super Bowl, Teague referred to Franklin as “Zaire Smith,” a former Atlanta Hawks player, and added that he had no idea Franklin would be on the show. The Colts star didn’t appreciate the disrespect.

“You keep trying me. Stop. Don’t disrespect my name,” said Franklin. “Hold on, Jeff. Don’t disrespect my name. You know my name.”

“Zaire,” responded Teague. “I don’t know your last name.”

Things went from bad to worse from there, as Franklin started to unload on the former NBA star.

“We ain’t got to do all this, man. They put me on a Jumbtron. They didn’t put you on the Jumbotron. They put me on the Jumbotron… They said All-Pro. Have you ever been on All-NBA? No. You was a one-time All-Star. I promise you, I’m going to get another Pro Bowl before you get into the All-Star. Your career is over. They traded you all over the f*cking NBA. You never stood. I was a captain on every f*cking team I was on.”

Teague pushed back to say he was a higher draft pick, but Franklin countered by saying he made more of his pro career.

Teague played for five teams during his 12-year NBA career and was indeed an All-Star in 2015. Franklin has spent all eight years of his NFL career with the Colts and was named second-team All-Pro and a Pro Bowler in 2024.

Still heated, Franklin kept repeating, “We live, we don’t have to do this,” while the other hosts tried to cool things down. “Just don’t disrespect my name, that’s all I’m asking.”

Eventually, cooler heads prevailed, but it didn’t seem as though either side was budging all that much.

Franklin seemed to throw a dig at Teague’s way afterward by posting a clip from an Indiana Pacers game last season where he was recognized on the Jumbotron.

On Tuesday, Teague offered a genuine apology to Franklin, saying they had worked it out afterward.

“Shoutout to Z,” said a remorseful Teague. “It’s all love. We dapped up yesterday after the show.

“I apologized to him about the show, about disrespecting his name. Cause he’s a die-hard about his legacy and what he’s trying to build and all the things he’s got going on for the Franklin’s. So I apologized about that. Y’all know I don’t give a f*ck about my accolades or none of that sh*t, so whatever he said to me is all good cause I ain’t giving a f*ck. We all family, we all love.”

All’s well that ends well. But let it be known, if you ever meet Zaire Franklin, do not disrespect the man’s name.

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.

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