Pregame shows are a staple of NFL programming. As part of the experience of a live broadcast, fans are treated to some in-depth analysis and breakdowns across all major networks.
CBS Sports is no different in that regard. But in the second week of the 2026 NFL season, one of their key analysts, Nate Burleson , came under fire from the NFL fan base at large for his peculiar choice of wardrobe.
Burleson was a third-round pick in the 2003 NFL Draft and would end up spending 11 years in the league. A wide receiver who was an All-American coming out of college, he played for the Minnesota Vikings , Seattle Seahawks , and Detroit Lions .
After retirement, he was a co-host on Good Morning Football on the NFL Network. Now, he's an analyst on The NFL Today for CBS and a commentator during their broadcasts.
It was on one such occasion that his outfit caught the public's eye. Wearing a suit, Burleson opted to go for shorts instead of full-length pants to complete his ensemble. Unfortunately, fans weren't too happy with his choice.
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Jason Whitlock joined the folks who were against Burleson's antics. For him, though, it was a matter of any extra attraction taking away from the arguments that an analyst was trying to lay out.
"If it's a distraction from what you're saying, it's an indication you don't have much to say. Paid clown. Anything to make yourself the story, not the game or what you and your colleagues are saying," Whitlock wrote.
"There is something seriously wrong with him! He does not belong on TV, either on the Sunday football shown or on the morning shows. He is mentally ill," one fan claimed , after Burleson chose to explain his weird outfit.
"It's some of the last days of summer. I wanted to have my legs out before it gets cold out here in New York. You see those calves? You see those calves?! Come on, those are 45-year-old calves," the former wide receiver expanded.
However, fans still believed it was a distraction from his points, with one fan going so far as to claim that such antics were one of the key reasons he did not watch pregame shows at all.
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"Perfect example of why I never watch pregame shows. They're just stupid," he claimed .
Others used the situation to make an example out of Pat McAfee as well. The ESPN mainstay had become one of the most infamous voices in sports media in recent years.
"Yeah, I'm pretty tired of him — reaching Pat McAfee status," one fan claimed .
For some, the choice wasn't a true reflection of who Burleson was. Instead, they believed he was trying to put on a persona in a bid to stand out.
"Just trying to be different for the sake of being different. Cringe," one fan revealed.
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For some, though, the blame fell on the network for not stepping in and correcting the obvious blunder.
"A producer or someone else needs to step up and veto that nonsense. That's a bad, bad look," one fan argued .
Some fans even resorted to name-calling, as they couldn't understand why he was such a popular name among sports media members.
"He's a clown. Always has been. I never understood what the allure was with him," they claimed.
It remains to be seen whether the outcry on social media will cause Burleson to change his ways. But the backlash has been immediate and intense, so it will be interesting to see if he changes his tune in the coming weeks.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network .
