On December 5, leaked audio surfaced from a meeting involving leaders of the Penn State football team. The meeting included athletic director Pat Kraft, Nick Dawkins, King Mack, Anthony Donkoh, and others.
The audio proved damaging to Kraft, as it captured him speaking candidly and without filters on a range of topics. His comments were intended to help him better understand the team’s culture but quickly became a source of controversy once they were made public.
Since the leak, speculation has swirled regarding who released the recording. Among the most prominent conspiracy theories is one implicating senior quarterback Drew Allar.
The theory hinges on Allar’s proximity to the microphone during the meeting, leading internet sleuths to suggest, without evidence, that he was responsible for the leak for a variety of presumed motives.
However, Penn State football play-by-play announcer Steve Jones strongly rejects that claim.
Jones addressed the speculation on his radio show, Sports Talk with Steve Jones, airing on 7 Mountain Sports Radio in State College, where he emphatically defended Allar.
“I’ve had the privilege of knowing Drew Allar and his family now for four years. Drew has thrown his heart and soul into everything in this program. He became a leader. Even when injured, he showed up at practice every day asking, ‘What can I do to help?’ Terry Smith has pointed that out many times,” Jones said.
“We know about the leaked audio from a couple of different meetings. Drew was actually a victim in one of them. He wasn’t even planning to attend that meeting.”
Jones then addressed the accusation directly.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.“You’ve had people accusing him of leaking audio, and I believe they’re referring to the Pat Kraft meeting. I can tell you unequivocally…he did not do it. Unequivocally, he did not. I’m not going to get into who did, but he did not,” Jones said.
“When someone’s reputation is getting trashed by people who have absolutely no idea what they’re talking about, it’s a disgrace. I learned a long time ago that once people start establishing false narratives, it gets dangerous.”
Jones noted that many members of the Penn State beat have rejected the Allar conspiracy, and he sharply criticized those who continue to push it.
“You’ve got people throwing this stuff out on Twitter, on podcasts, what are you doing? I am so disgusted by this,” Jones said. “Drew Allar and his family are not just good people – they’re great people. He poured his heart and soul into this program for four years.”
“Did he think about transferring? No. He worked every day to make himself better and make the team better. And as a starting quarterback, he accomplished something no one else in the history of this program has ever done.”
Jones concluded by reiterating his stance in unequivocal terms.
“He absolutely did not put that audio out there. People want to take shots, fine. But there’s right and there’s wrong. And this is wrong.”
For those still searching for the source of the leak, Jones made one thing clear: the investigation must continue but not at the expense of Drew Allar’s reputation.
