Is there a feud brewing between former Colts punter Pat McAfee and team captain Zaire Franklin?

“They use my picture as if I’m the only human that was talking about the problems that were happening in your locker room,” McAfee said. “Your locker room. The one that had people missing treatment and gambling on the team and being late to meetings and saying they don’t work hard and quarterbacks tapping out of (games). And I’m the problem? OK.”

Way too often this season, the national media attention surrounding the Indianapolis Colts have been driven by negative headlines regarding off-field or internal issues.

Former Colts punter Pat McAfee called out the organization Friday after learning that one of the team captains used his image on a thumbnail to essentially “clap back” at the pessimistic criticism of 22-year-old franchise quarterback Anthony Richardson.

“They use my picture as if I’m the only human that was talking about the problems that were happening in your locker room,” McAfee said. “Your locker room. The one that had people missing treatment and gambling on the team and being late to meetings and saying they don’t work hard and quarterbacks tapping out of (games). And I’m the problem? OK.”

McAfee was responding to Colts linebackers Zaire Franklin and E.J. Speed, who host a podcast called “The Trenches” on YouTube. The defensive duo clipped a portion of their show to call out the media who use their platform to divide the locker room. In a media-space full of outrageous hot takes, so many opinions are claimed to be either undeniably correct or later proven to be completely wrong.

“How about the motherfuckers talking crazy on national television,” Franklin questioned. “You are on national television and you are screaming about changes that need to be made, just for the next week, you scream for the opposite change to be made.”

Despite never mentioning McAfee’s name, the ex-punter turned media personality went on to bring up Franklin’s college record at Syracuse – 15-33 from 2014-17 – essentially questioning how teams have fared under his leadership. Professional athletes with enormous egos endure a never-ending pursuit to perfection, even if the results don’t show it. No player has more total tackles (454) or 10-plus tackle performances (26) than Franklin since 2022. Franklin reset his own franchise single-season tackle record with 179 tackles in 2023. Franklin mentioned he doesn’t think his teammates did a good job of “keeping vultures at bay”, referring to reporters that highlight drama.

“Now they don’t like me in that locker room from what I’ve understood and I’ve heard,” McAfee said. “And I’m cool with that.”

The Colts (5-6) host the NFL’s hottest team – winners of eight consecutive games – on Sunday inside Lucas Oil Stadium. While Detroit (9-1) has gone from the laughingstock of the league to the NFC’s No. 1 contender, Indianapolis has hovered around mediocrity since its last AFC South title in 2014. The Colts have one playoff win and two playoff berths since then, while four different head coaches have commanded the franchise. In spite of Franklin’s comments, McAfee then declared a 20-point blowout in favor of the Lions.

“You start looking at the Colts and the Lions, you think to yourself, ‘Well, this Lions team turned that franchise into a winner’,” McAfee claimed. “This Colts team potentially turned the Colts into losers.”

Detroit is off to its best start in 90 years, since starting the 1934 season 10-0. The Lions just beat the brakes off the Jacksonville Jaguars, 52-6, which was the largest blowout of the 2024 season. They are the first NFL team in over 50 years to beat three different teams by at least five touchdowns in their first 10 games. The Lions establish their toughness with a lethal rushing attack. It’s offensive line is among the best in the league at protecting their franchise quarterback, who is also statistically one of the league’s most accurate passers. Quarterback Jared Goff comes off another stellar performance after torching the Jaguars with 412 passing yards, four passing touchdowns and a season-best perfect 158.3 passer rating.

The Lions dynamic backfield duo has scored a rushing touchdown in 24 consecutive games — including the postseason — which is the longest streak in NFL history. All-Pro receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown has also scored a touchdown in eight consecutive games, which is the third longest streak in NFL history and four shy of Jerry Rice’s record of 12 straight games.

Indianapolis enters Week 12 leading the NFL with 794 tackles, which is not exactly an encouraging stat. It means the defense has been stuck on the field chasing opponents down. If the Colts want to avoid the same fate as their AFC South foes, who all suffered losses to the Lions and were outscored 130-43 in those three games, their strongest unit must be able to pin their ears back and get after Goff. Indianapolis leads the NFL with 12 forced fumbles and nine fumble recoveries. The Colts have collected 14 strip-sacks, tied with the Broncos for the second-most in football.

“I appreciate – if the fact of the matter is – that the Indianapolis Colts team is going to utilize me as motivation,” McAfee said.