Always outspoken Barstool Sports owner Dave Portnoy appeared to get himself into some hot water on Sunday evening, and he addressed the controversy on Monday.
Dave Portnoy Calls For “Prison” And “Murder” Of Raiders Head Coach
On Sunday, the Denver Broncos defeated the Las Vegas Raiders 24-17. The game didn’t feature a whole lot of excitement, but the final seconds became crucial for gamblers who placed wagers on the contest.
With just a few second remaining and the Broncos leading by 10, the Raiders completed a 26-yard pass to receiver Tyler Lockett. Immediately after the tackle, a defensive penalty (delay of game against a Broncos defender) was flagged, moving the ball 5 yards ahead, extending the game by a final play.
PRISON FOR EVERYBODY!! THAT’S THE BIGGEST RIG JOB IVE EVER SEEN. INVESTIGATE THE NFL. INVESTIGATE PETE CARROLL. IVESTIGATE THE RAIDERS!!! pic.twitter.com/hpEr1JOiqm
— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) December 7, 2025
That allowed the Raiders to attempt a 46-yard field goal. Kicker Daniel Carlson made it as time expired, cutting the final margin and shifting the betting spread. The line came in at 7.5 in Denver’s favor, meaning that the meaningless points on the final play of the game swung bets and created bad beats for many.
Dave Portnoy immediately exploded, both on social media and in a video rant. He called the sequence “the most rigged game I’ve ever seen,” accusing the officials, Carroll, the Raiders, and the league of corruption. He didn’t hold back: “Prison for Pete Carroll and that ref,” he said. “This is honestly prison.”
The rhetoric didn’t stop there. Portnoy went as far as saying “Prison for Pete Carroll,” and even “I want Pete Carroll murdered.”
Portnoy Issued A Statement On Monday About The Incident
The video was met with immediate backlash. The language that Portnoy used was strong, which rustled feathers on social media with plenty of people criticizing the media personality and demanding an apology.
Portnoy adhered to those calls. Kind of.
Breaking News: @stoolpresidente has made a statement on this video https://t.co/1kNrzHO7ao pic.twitter.com/Sq8NOPTeAc
— Wake Up Barstool (@wakeupbarstool) December 8, 2025
On Monday’s episode of Wake Up Barstool, Portnoy attempted to walk back the comments. He said that his calls for murder were meant metaphorically, and were an exaggerated expression of frustration over a painful gambling loss. He emphasized that he was not advocating for actual violence.
Still, many remain skeptical, arguing that “metaphorical murder” from a public figure with millions of followers is irresponsible and dangerous.
This episode highlights a growing and troubling trend at the intersection of gambling, fandom, and social-media outrage. The fact that a meaningless field goal could trigger such an extreme public meltdown underscores how betting can distort reactions around sports outcomes. And in the case of Dave Portnoy, it can cause someone to seek violence on a sports figure.
