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Anonymous NFL scouts continue to bash Luke Fickell: 'Disliked by most NFL teams'

It's easy for people to be critical behind the safety of anonymity, but NFL scouts continue to take shots at Wisconsin Badgers head coach Luke Fickell.
Lorin Cox|
Oct 18, 2025; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers head coach Luke Fickell during warmups prior to the game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Camp Randall Stadium.
Oct 18, 2025; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers head coach Luke Fickell during warmups prior to the game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Camp Randall Stadium. | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

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It's easy for people to be critical behind the safety of anonymity, but NFL scouts continue to take shots at Wisconsin Badgers head coach Luke Fickell.

It started before the loss to Ohio State, when a report from The Athletic's Dane Brugler claimed that Fickell had been shutting NFL scouts out of practice, forcing them to attend games in order to scout players in person.

After that game, Fickell was asked about the report and denied it adamantly.

Following the denial, anonymous NFL scouts doubled down.

ESPN's Kalyn Kahler quoted another scout who accused Fickell of lying in response to the report.

Related: NFL scout accuses Luke Fickell of lying about access to Wisconsin Badgers practices

Now, the denigration is getting even more harsh through yet another source of anonymous scouts.

Former NFL scout John Middlekauf used to write for The Athletic and now hosts a podcast called "3 & Out."

During a live stream last week, he shared more criticisms of Fickell from the scouts he talks to, revealing further fallout from the "he said, she said" saga.

"He's like, 'Not only is Fickle disliked by most NFL teams because he's not a likable guy, but he's a liar,'' Middlekauf said. "And I was like, I didn't know. I just assume Fickle is kind of like a Mike Vrabel. They're like, 'No, people can't stand the guy.'"

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He pointed out that successful coaches aren't always likable, but that lack of favor becomes a problem when the team stops having success, like with Bill Belichick in New England or Brian Kelly at LSU.

Wisconsin beat reporters saw NFL scouts regularly attend spring and summer practices, but in-season practices are not open to the media.

The issue with scouts is another strange chapter in an all-around difficult season for Fickell and the Badgers.

He makes for an easy punching back, especially when the punchers don't have to put their names on their criticisms.

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Lorin Cox
LORIN COX

Lorin Cox is the managing editor of Wisconsin Badgers on SI. He has been covering Badgers sports since 2014, when he was an undergraduate at the University of Wisconsin. He previously wrote for the Wisconsin State Journal, NBC Sports Chicago and USA Today Sports Media Group, and he is a former analyst for Pro Football Focus.

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