Penn State's Pat Kraft Apologizes for Viral Comments From Leaked Audio

The Penn State athletic director said he's "embarrassed" about comments he made to Nittany Lions players in a private meeting.

Penn State Athletic Director Pat Kraft speaks at a press conference to introduce Matt Campbell as Nittany Lions football coach. | Mark Wogenrich | Penn State on SI

Penn State Athletic Director Pat Kraft apologized Monday for comments he made during a private meeting with football players that were leaked to a YouTube channel in early December. In the recording, leaked to the show Signal Lost, Kraft made pointed comments about former coach James Franklin’s roster management, the Nittany Lions’ loss to Indiana and other Big Ten programs.

Kraft also told players that “my career is over” if he doesn’t hire the right football coach to replace James Franklin, whom he fired in October. Kraft said Monday that he was “embarrassed” by the audio during the introductory press conference for new Penn State coach Matt Campbell.

“What I will tell you about that is, I’m embarrassed. I apologize to anyone I may have offended with that video that leaked," Kraft said. "Personally, it’s been challenging for me, but I am very passionate about Penn State.”

RELATED: Penn State releases contract details for Matt Campbell

Penn State Athletic Director Pat Kraft addresses the leaked locker room video that surfaced Friday, saying he’s “embarrassed” and apologizing “anyone that I may have offended.” pic.twitter.com/TV5rMfO3kF

— Mark Wogenrich (@MarkWogenrich) December 8, 2025

The heavily edited recording, posted at the Dead Air Sports YouTube channel, is from a meeting Kraft attended with “nine or 10 players” before Penn State’s final regular-season game vs. Rutgers. The players met with Kraft to lobby him to promote interim coach Terry Smith to the full-time role.

In the meeting, Kraft told players that Smith was a “legitimate, real, real candidate” for the job. Penn State officially announced Campbell on Monday after an eight-week coaching search, during which Smith publicly declared his candidacy. Smith will remain at Penn State on Campbell’s coaching staff.

“I’m looking you all in the eye. I would never f---ing lie to you,” Kraft told the players in the meeting. “Please understand that. You’re hearing the questions that we have to get answered. I want you all to know, too: If I don’t get this right, my career is over.

"Understand that. If I don’t hire the right person, my career is over. So it’s very serious to me. This isn’t like what people just think. You all are going to graduate and move on. If I don’t find the right person, in two years they will fire my a-- and I don’t get another AD job. How’d you f--- up Penn State? So it’s to a personal level.”

Kraft told players in the meeting that he fired Franklin in October to change the program’s direction. The Nittany Lions went 3-3 under Franklin this season, losing three straight to Oregon, UCLA and Northwestern, before Kraft made the decision.

“If I just keep status quo, it’s like, ‘F--- it, we’ll just roll with James,’” Kraft said in the meeting. He also told players that Penn State played “outstanding” in a 27-24 loss to then-No. 2 Indiana but that the Hoosiers “f---ing beat us.” The Indiana game was Smith’s third as Penn State’s interim head coach.

“And I don’t want us to lose sight of that, because what’s happened here too many times at Penn State is they f---ing settled for second best. That’s why we made the move,” Kraft told players in the meeting. “… And you should have been angry at me. And so there’s a reason why I put Terry in there, because of all the things you said, to get us to where we need to be. And yes, you played exceptionally better.

“But because we played close to the No. 2 team? F-- them. That ain’t the No. 2 f---ing team. My team’s better than them.”

Indiana beat Ohio State for the Big Ten championship and earned the No. 1 overall seed in the College Football Playoff.

Penn State football coach Matt Campbell, left, and Athletic Director Pat Kraft pose for photos during a news conference. | Mark Wogenrich | Penn State on SI

On Monday, Kraft said that the leak was handled “in the family” and that he encourages athletes to contact him at any time. If recorded in Pennsylvania, the leaked audio would appear to violate the state’s Wiretapping and Electronic Surveillance Control Act, which prohibits recording and disclosure of private conversations without consent. Violating the Act is a third-degree felony in Pennsylvania, punishable by up to seven years in prison and a possible $15,000 fine.

“I fell short of the standard that I should represent for all those people, all my staff, all 833 athletes that I represent, and I can’t apologize enough for those who I may have offended,” Kraft said Monday. “I’ve got to be better. ... So we're moving on. We handled it in the family. I'm proud of our guys. I'm proud of them and excited for them to move forward."

Among Kraft’s other comments:

He said that Oregon quarterback Dante Moore was “shaking in overtime” during their Ducks’ 30-24 win at Beaver Stadium in September. Moore threw two touchdown passes in overtime, including the game-winner in the second overtime.

Of Oregon, Kraft said, “Have you all been to Oregon? Ain’t s--- going on, it’s a bunch of f---ing weirdos.” Of Iowa quarterback Mark Gronowski, Kraft said, “there’s no reason a 90-year old quarterback from Iowa should run for 180 yards against us with a torn MCL.”

And of Ohio State and Michigan, Kraft said, "Ohio State is Ohio State, but f--- it, it’s not like they’re way light years better than us talent-wise. Just haven’t been able to get over the f---ing hump. Michigan f---ing stinks. F---ing joke, Cheated their b---s off. That’s real by the way, what they did."

At his introductory press conference, Campbell praised Kraft as “one of the finest, most accomplished athletic directors in the country.”

“Your competitiveness and passion jump off the conversation,” Campbell said to Kraft. “I love that you demand excellence every step of the way. Your vision, work ethic, wow, it's incredible. The team of people you put around you, the coaches, it's created the best athletic department in all of college athletics. We'll demand the same standards every day I walk into that facility.”

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