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Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss was granted a sixth year of eligibility by a Mississippi judge Thursday, but not before one of his coaches’ testimonies raised eyebrows.
Ole Miss quarterbacks coach Joe Judge took the stand Thursday to discuss how important recovery is for athletes, considering one of Chambliss’ arguments was that he deserved a medical redshirt for the 2022 season due to a severe case of tonsillitis that prevented him from sleeping properly and performing at full capacity.
Judge, who once gave a nearly 12-minute answer during his tumultuous tenure as head coach of the New York Giants, then rambled about how parents who are athletes “have to have different priorities” if they have a newborn during the season.
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Ole Miss offensive head coach and quarterbacks coach Joe Judge testifies during Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss’ hearing in his lawsuit against the NCAA at the Calhoun County Courthouse in Pittsboro, Mississippi, Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. (Ayrton Breckenridge/Clarion Ledger/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)
“It’s always a difficult conversation to have, it’s not even popular. We would have to educate other important people who may have been pregnant during the season or had a baby during the season, and you have to educate them about, ‘You have this baby in the middle of the season, that father has to play good football,'” Judge said.
“It’s a day-to-day production business. He has to be ready to perform and go out and play. And when I say you need to let him sleep, he needs to be in a separate room. You have to explain to the mother something like, ‘Hey, listen, he’s not going to wake up to feed him in the middle of the night.’
“After the season, he’s all metal jacket. You do whatever you want with him. He can change every diaper. But in the season, he has to have different priorities.”
The reactions against Judge were strong.
“I would not recommend sending your children to play under this type of leadership. Good coaches know that they are not only developing athletes but future husbands, wives, fathers, mothers and leaders beyond the weight room and competition,” wrote one X user.
Mississippi Rebels quarterbacks coach Joe Judge with quarterback Trinidad Chambliss (6) against the Miami Hurricanes during the 2026 Fiesta Bowl and College Football Playoff semifinal game at State Farm Stadium. (Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images)
STATE JUDGE GRANTS OLE MISS QUARTERBACK TRINIDAD CHAMBLISS SIXTH YEAR OF NCAA ELIGIBILITY
“Never take the advice of a coach who called this play,” Onyx Odds wrote along with a screenshot of an infamous Giants quarterback sneaking on third-and-9 from his own 4-yard line in the 2021 season (the play possibly led to Judge’s sacking).
Another user called Judge’s words “dumb messages.”
“I’m a father too and I will always prioritize my children’s needs over anything else. Plus, the things a woman has to deal with after giving birth are much worse than being tired in practice,” the user said.
“I hope he never talks about turning his players into good men. Never,” added NFL.com columnist Judy Battista.
However, two Giants reporters quickly came to Judge’s defense.
“Joe is a good guy and is talking about the realities of managing the responsibilities of college players and their loved ones during that exceptionally pressurized period of their lives. Cutting this down to ‘catch’ him is foolish,” said Pat Leonard of The Athletic.
ESPN’s Jordan Raanan echoed similar sentiments.
Mississippi Rebels quarterbacks coach Joe Judge against the Miami Hurricanes during the 2026 Fiesta Bowl and College Football Playoff semifinal game at State Farm Stadium. (Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images)
“Ironically, Joe Judge is the most family-oriented coach I’ve ever seen. He’s at Ole Miss in part because his son is on the team. And outside of football, he does everything with his wife and four kids,” he said.
Perhaps Judge’s testimony was enough, as Chambliss, whose appeal was denied by the NCAA, got the sixth year he sought. The judge in the case said the NCAA “operated in bad faith.”
