Tim Walz says he's 'anti-Tommy Tuberville', not all football coaches are stupid

Governor Tim Walz reportedly described himself as the “anti-Tommy Tuberville” during a fundraising event in Boston on Wednesday night.

The context

Minnesota Governor Walz has become increasingly popular since he was announced earlier this month as Kamala Harris' running mate for the vice presidency in 2024.

Walz previously coached the Mankato West High School football team in Minnesota, where his team won the 1999 state championship, according to the Associated Press.

Senator Tuberville of Arkansas had an extensive career as a football head coach before entering politics, compiling a 159-99 record in 21 seasons, 14 of which were spent in the Southeastern Conference (SEC).

What we know

Walz said, “I feel like one of my jobs in this is to be the anti-Tommy Tuberville, to show that football coaches aren't the dumbest people.”

Igor Bobic, senior political reporter at HuffPost, and Yamiche Alcindor, NBC News correspondent in Washington, DC, reported on the incident, citing the White House press pool.

When asked for comment, Tuberville's office issued the following statement: Newsweek to an X-post from the congressman in which, in response to Walz's comments, he said: “Speaking of a disgrace to the coaching profession…

“Tim Walz LEFT his military unit when he found out they were being deployed to Iraq.

“Walz had police LEAVE neighborhoods while his cities burned in 2020. And Walz had tampon dispensers installed in BOYS' bathrooms. He doesn't have to worry about speaking for coaches. #TamponTim”

Newsweek reached out to the Walz and Harris presidential campaigns via email outside regular business hours on Thursday for comment.

Cody Sargent, Tuberville's former spokesman, responded to X on Walz, saying, “You are a former *assistant* high school coach and now as governor responsible for a massive decline in student achievement.

“Senator Tuberville is a 5x National Coach of the Year and a 7x Conference Champion. So no, Tim Walz, you are not Coach Tuberville.”

Since being selected as Harris' running mate in 2024, Walz, who served in the Army National Guard for 24 years, has been criticized by leading Republicans about his tenure.

In a post on X, Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio, Trump's 2024 running mate, said Walz had “lied” about serving in a war zone and resigning from the Minnesota National Guard shortly after his battalion was told it could be deployed to Iraq in 2005.

Walz said he resigned so he could run for Congress. According to the Minnesota National Guard, he resigned before plans for the Guard deployment were announced.

A recent Big Village Caravan survey of 181 voters aged 18 to 26 found that Walz had a net popularity rating of -3.4 in this age group, significantly trailing Harris and Trump, who had positive ratings of 11.1 and 2.7 points, respectively.

Views

Walz's comment drew mixed reactions from X users, with one comment: “Tommy Tuberville was a college football head coach who won an SEC title and was AP and SEC Coach of the Year in 2004. Tim Walz was an ASSISTANT high school football coach. If anyone is stupid, it's Tim Walz comparing his football credentials to Tuberville.”

Another X user wrote: “Tuberville was a collegiate HC for 21 seasons with a record of 159-99. Tim Walz was an assistant HS football coach. Talk about stolen courage when you compare yourself as a coach.”

Donny Ferguson, an X user from Virginia, wrote: “1) Walz is absolutely a coach.

“2) Tuberville is a national champion who helped coach one of A&M's best seasons, beating the Longhorns by 24 in Austin. That immediately makes him one of the smartest people in the Senate.”

“You gotta love this dude,” posted one X user, referring to Walz. “He got the coach’s vote.”

Update 8/15/24, 9:40 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.

Update 8/15/24 12:05 p.m. ET: This story has been updated to reflect the response from Senator Tuberville's office to a request for comment.