Jon Rothstein is a man firmly entrenched in his own realm. The CBS Sports insider is deeply absorbed in college basketball, so much so that he won’t find a moment of peace until May. This singular focus often leads him to overlook the broader world around him. For instance, he once tweeted about the College of Charleston scheduling a game with Rhode Island in 2034 during the Super Bowl. He’s also known for breaking news while his wife was in labor.
However, this tunnel vision occasionally results in missteps, as seen on Thursday when Rothstein shared an update he deemed innocuous. Instead, it seemed to reflect a startling lack of awareness of current events. Shortly after 12:30 p.m. ET, he tweeted about UConn transfer Aidan Mahaney, indicating the player would visit Florida State and Florida Atlantic this weekend.
UConn transfer Aidan Mahaney tells me that he will visit both Florida State and Florida Atlantic this weekend.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) April 17, 2025
He later revised the tweet, clarifying that Mahaney would no longer visit Tallahassee. This decision wasn’t due to a commitment from another guard, but rather because a tragic shooting incident had occurred on FSU’s campus involving a 20-year-old son of a Florida sheriff’s deputy, who opened fire, killing two and injuring six.
Rothstein appeared oblivious to the severity of the situation. By the time he tweeted about Mahaney’s visit, news of the casualties and the shooter’s identity had already surfaced. His tweet felt disconcertingly out of touch, devoid of the necessary context and recognition of the real-world tragedy unfolding nearby.
This isn’t about piling on Rothstein; his relentless updates, quirky phrases, and constant focus on basketball are well-known. Yet, in this instance, his disconnect resonated negatively, particularly on a day where sensitivity was crucial. The blunder did not go unnoticed.
Jon Rothstein might actually have no idea what is happening outside of the CBB world https://t.co/jb5w8ie7Gi
— Bailey VanHouten (@LWOSVanHouten) April 18, 2025
The “ignoring major happenings in the world to tweet about college basketball” bit doesn’t have to be 24/7. This is a really bad look. And even if, somehow, Jon wasn’t aware of the FSU tragedy at the time of the tweet, he has to be aware now, and this still up. Terrible. https://t.co/yVxRD26NOm
— Jalin Troutman (@JalinTroutman35) April 17, 2025
Read the room Jon, Jesus Christ
— Allan Westerholt (@allanw98) April 17, 2025
Seriously Jon? I get the job and the bit but you have to have some feeling when you tweet this stuff out. People died at FSU today. https://t.co/FNl26dckZB
— Isaiah Walker (@walkeri141) April 17, 2025
There was a mass shooting and reportedly several people died today at Florida State. Maybe have a little feel every once in a while and hold off on tweeting this out now and today? https://t.co/0C44FEm9n
— OfficiatingObserver17 (@RefObserver17) April 17, 2025
Maybe because campus is shut down due to a horrific mass shooting? But please, get your clicks in https://t.co/GvnrKPghCA
— Michael Kaney (@michael_kaney) April 17, 2025
This isn’t even the first instance of Rothstein’s insensitivity. Many remember when he tweeted shortly after the Damar Hamlin injury. Ultimately, Rothstein didn’t technically do anything wrong; he simply acted in accordance with his usual habits. Still, perhaps it would have been prudent to hold off on hitting send during such a sensitive moment.
