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Journalismism

How To Tell Randy Moss From Randy Moss: A Defector Strategy Guide

Randy Moss speaks at his NFL Hall of Fame induction; his bust has been replaced with the head of Randy Moss the journalist
Joe Robbins/Getty; Mark Wilson/Getty; Edits by Dan McQuade/Defector

The Super Bowl is in a few days, and the media is hyped. Martha Stewart’s website posted a story that did not use the words “Super Bowl,” instead using terms like “the year’s biggest football honor.” The New York Times claims a barber in New Brunswick—Canada, not New Jersey—received 50 requests for Travis Kelce’s haircut. There are seemingly thousands of stories about Taylor Swift.

Sports media wants content, too, and WFAN’s morning show with Boomer Esiason and Gregg Giannotti booked Randy Moss to talk about who might receive the year’s biggest football honor. You probably know the most famous Randy Moss, the Hall of Fame receiver who now yaks on ESPN. But there is another Randy Moss, a sports journalist best known for covering horse racing for NBC and the Daily Racing Form. And after reading those two sentences, you definitely know what happened.

Now I have content to post on Defector. This clip rules. It’s particularly great that Boomer and Gio learn on air that the show has booked a different Randy Moss than the one they expected. The horse racing Moss is equipped to talk about the Super Bowl as well, however: He has worked for NFL Network.

Live screwups make for great TV, but I do feel for producer Al Dukes. Plus, Boomer Esiason was at one time a good union man, and literally blocked a bus of replacement players during the 1987 NFL players’ strike. (He eventually nearly destroyed the union, but we all contain multitudes.) So I would like to help. Here is a helpful guide for journalists, producers, on-air talent and anyone else who needs help telling the Randys Moss apart.

Randy Moss (football)	Randy Moss (journalist)Age	46 (turns 47 in a week)	65 or 66Birthplace	Rand, West Virginia	Hot Springs, ArkansasResidence	Charlotte	Suburban MinneapolisHeight	6-4	UnclearColleges attended	Florida State, Marshall	University of ArkansasGames played in NFL	218	0Super Bowl rings	0	0Year inducted into NFL Hall of Fame	2018	N/APrimary area of coverage	NFL	Horse racingSecondary area of coverage		NFL, OlympicsGot start in media	2013, with Fox Football Daily	11th grade, with the Arkansas GazetteBelieves he is part of the media	“I am not part of the media”, 2013 quote	Presumably yesYears at ESPN	2016–present	1999-2011Covered horse racing while underage	No	YesContributor to Daily Racing Form	No	YesHorse racing statistics invented	0	1, Moss Pace FiguresFootball segments invented	1, You Got Moss’d	0Has pretended to moon a crowd	Yes	Hopefully

Feel free to share this graphic far and wide. We here at Defector Media are committed to fair and accurate sports coverage at all outlets, not just our own.

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