‘This Is Pathetic,’ ‘Leave the Kid Alone’ — CFB Fans React As Texas A&M QB Marcel Reed Is Forced To Change His Number After ‘Doxxing’ Incident
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College football fans can be ruthless after a tough loss. But there is a difference between criticizing a player and invading his private life.
Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed found himself dealing with that reality after the Aggies’ 31-21 loss to Kentucky, when a reported doxxing incident forced him to take steps to protect his personal information.
College Football Fans Rally Around Marcel Reed After Doxxing Incident
Reed told On3’s Carter Karels that he was flooded with phone calls after his number was reportedly leaked online following the loss to Kentucky. The redshirt quarterback said the calls kept coming from numbers he believed originated in about 18 different states.
“I kind of had a feeling it happened, because I got calls like back to back to back to back. I’m pretty sure I got called from like 18 different states,” Reed told Karels.
“But I didn’t answer a single one. Some you would see like the new voicemail thing; you can see like the words at the bottom. So I eventually turned my phone off and just ended up watching college football for the rest of the night. I didn’t pay any mind to it.”
Reed later changed his number, putting an end to the immediate issue caused by the leak, which never should have happened in the first place.
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Fans on X pushed back against the treatment of the Texas A&M quarterback. One user focused on the personal impact of the incident, writing, “That’s awful. Leave the kid alone.”
Another user took an even firmer stance on the act itself, stating, “This is pathetic. Doxxing is never acceptable.”
Other reactions focused on the pressure college athletes face when games go wrong. One fan wrote, “Terrible, these kids are under so much pressure!”
Another fan broadened the criticism to the treatment of both players and coaches, writing, “This is sick. Why do ‘fans’ feel entitled to do things like this? To coaches, players, etc. It’s unacceptable, and there should be consequences.”
A fifth fan expressed frustration with the incident in blunt terms: “This is [expletive] ridiculous. The world has gone mad.”
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The situation followed Texas A&M’s first loss of the season. Kentucky defeated the then-No. 9 Aggies on Sept. 19 at Kyle Field, ending their undefeated start and handing them their first regular-season home loss in nearly two years.
Reed accounted for one passing touchdown and one rushing touchdown while throwing two interceptions.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.
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