NIU coach fooled by NCAA Football 14 player's claim he received offer
Northern Illinois University head coach Thomas Hammock got duped by a fake quarterback from NCAA Football 14.
On Wednesday, a Twitter user posing as a high school football player named Patrick Flowers tweeted out several college offers they received in the NCAA Football video game, including one from NIU.
Extremely blessed to have received my 2nd D1 offer from Northern Illinois University❗️❗️❗️Huge thanks to God, my family, my coaches, and my teammates for helping me get here, and thanks @NIU_Football @Future_Huskies @CoachMooreNIU for giving me this chance pic.twitter.com/kbVoS92tlM
— Patrick Flowers (@Speedy_Flowers1) April 16, 2020
The Twitter user then shared a screenshot of a conversation they had through direct messages with Hammock, who denied sending an offer to Flowers.
After a discussion with @NIUCoachHammock I no longer have an offer at Northern Illinois university... this is incredibly sad for my and my family as I worked so hard to get to this point. I will come out of this stronger, as God always has a plan for me #AGTG 🙏🙏🙏🙏😭 pic.twitter.com/ABOF3WgK08
— Patrick Flowers (@Speedy_Flowers1) April 16, 2020
Hammock also blocked the account:
The disrespect continues‼️‼️‼️ @NIU_Football I want an explanation pic.twitter.com/jnVxg1f0oL
— Patrick Flowers (@Speedy_Flowers1) April 16, 2020
The coach eventually realized Flowers isn't real, and laughed off his mistake.
Due to NCAA rules I’m not allowed to comment on specific recruits- even from the class of ‘14. I would like to state that all of our offers are committable & come personally from me. People pull offers every day, we’re not in that business. Honesty is a policy. Man he got me.😂🤣
— Thomas Hammock (@NIUCoachHammock) April 16, 2020
Hammock played running back at NIU from 1999-2002. He was named head coach of the Huskies in January 2019 after spending the previous five seasons as a running backs coach with the Baltimore Ravens.