Coach P.J. Fleck Wipes Player’s Blood On His Face After Upset Win Over Washington
Fleck's Minnesota Golden Gophers took on the Washington Huskies Saturday night and managed to tough out a 27-24 road win.
Black News 
Unhinged fandom is probably most palpable in college sports, especially in football, and it even extends to the coaches.
From face-offs with referees and frigid interviews, a new moment takes the cake thanks to Minnesota football coach P.J. Fleck.
Fleck’s Minnesota Golden Gophers took on the Washington Huskies Saturday night and managed to tough out a 27-24 road win.
In the joyous moments after improving to 3-1, Fleck embraced his linebacker, Maverick Baranowski, who took a cleat to the face on the final play of the game.
So Baranowski was profusely bleeding from the mouth, but Fleck didn’t care, and after he grabbed him by the sides of his head, he swiped a bunch of blood with his hands and wiped it onto his own face.
With it dripping from his cheeks like war paint, Fleck went on to hug opposing coaches and celebrate with his own team in what was technically the early hours of Sunday morning.
Fox commentator Jack Kizer, who was calling the game alongside Mark Helfrich, was pretty shocked when he saw the exchange.
“Oh my God,” he begins. “There’s no words for this. Oh my God. The definition of blood, sweat and tears. It’s 1:30 in the morning in Minnesota. P.J. Fleck has gone insane after his team defeats Washington.”
Baranowski talked about the passionate exchange after the game.
“It’s just it’s a great moment. Winning is hard in the Big Ten, and when you get to win at a place like this, just so exciting. And then get to enjoy that with all my teammates and my head coach always having my back for the last five years,” Baranowski said. “I love that guy more than anyone, and it’s just such an awesome opportunity to share that moment with him, and he’s a crazy man.”
Monday morning, Fleck called in to speak with KFAN’s Paul Allen.
“For some reason, I thought it was best to take his blood and put it on my face and be blood brothers in that moment,” Fleck said.
He also flipped it by calling out that the American Red Cross declared over the summer that America is in a national blood crisis and pleads with everyone to donate.
See social media’s reaction below.
