After Peyton Manning issued a strong denial of an Al Jazeera report claiming he took human growth hormone, Mike Ditka took issue with the source of the report.
As ESPN cut to its studio after showing Manning’s interview from Denver, Ditka ripped Al Jazeera as lacking credibility.
“I love Peyton Manning, I mean, I think he’s a real man and a real credit to the game of football,” Ditka said. “Here’s the thing that bothers me: Al Jazeera is not a credible news organization. They’re out there spreading garbage. That’s what they do. yet we give them credibility by talking about it. They’re garbage. That’s what they are.”
Ditka’s perspective on Al Jazeera is a common one in the United States, particularly among conservatives, and Ditka once called himself an “ultra-ultra-ultra-conservative.”
At the same time, Al Jazeera has done strong journalism and been recognized with multiple Peabody Awards, the most prestigious award in broadcasting. The Manning report may prove to be garbage, but coming from Al Jazeera doesn’t make it so.