Hosts say Tuskegee kicker’s halftime gesture drew university statement and potential discipline

Darryl Hall and Mayor Steven discussed a halftime incident at the Turkey Day Classic in which a Tuskegee University kicker allegedly made an obscene hand gesture during the halftime show, an action Hall described as directed at Alabama State University fans.

Hall recounted a message he attributed to Tuskegee, saying, “we are fully aware of what he has done. He will be punished,” and both hosts debated whether the university’s response and possible sanctions would be sufficient. Steven emphasized the need to understand context before deciding discipline, saying it is important to ‘‘find out what was going on here’’ and to use the episode as a ‘‘teachable moment’’ so it ‘‘doesn't happen again.’’

Both hosts discussed where the player was warming up on the field and whether that contributed to the incident; Steven noted that kickers typically warm along the sideline to avoid crossing performance areas. Hall said he wanted a formal apology and for the player to be held accountable — “I want the statement. I want apology. I want a written note,” he said — while Steven urged restraint and an inquiry into provocation or misunderstanding.

The hosts did not provide an independent source of the university’s statement beyond Hall’s reading/paraphrase on air. They also discussed possible disciplinary items — helmet, uniform, and a formal apology — but did not report any formal sanction issued by Tuskegee at the time of the broadcast.

The show left the central questions unresolved: whether Tuskegee would announce a specific penalty and what, if any, contextual factors (taunting or provocation) led to the gesture. The hosts said they expected the university and coaching staff to review the conduct and determine discipline.

The episode did not present an independent recording or full text of the university’s statement; listeners were told the quoted text was read on-air by the host.