JD Vance brought a bit of humor to what could've been an awkward mishap at the White House. On Monday, Ohio State's football champs got the VIP treatment in Washington, D.C., celebrating their national championship win alongside Coach Ryan Day and his team.
However, the Buckeyes might've wanted to leave their shining hardware back home. As Queen's "We Are The Champions" filled the air, Vice President JD Vance demonstrated why he's more suited for the Senate than the gridiron, as he fumbled the handoff, causing the trophy's top to take an unexpected tumble from its base.
In true playful spirit, Vance took to social media to poke fun at himself, offering up a tongue-in-cheek excuse: "I didn't want anyone after Ohio State to get the trophy so I decided to break it." It's refreshing to see him owning the moment—no finger-pointing or rewriting history here, unlike what some might do.
Thankfully, Buckeyes stars TreVeyon Henderson and Cody Simon were on their game, swiftly reconnecting the trophy without a scratch. Vance's 'plan' didn’t pan out, and perhaps he forgot that a new trophy makes its way to the winners each year anyway.
Before the comical hiccup, Vance extended his congratulations to the Buckeyes, even throwing a friendly jab at Texas Sen. Ted Cruz for not settling a bet from their College Football Playoff face-off.
And in true rivalry fashion, he lightheartedly ‘threatened’ an attendee sporting a Michigan hat with the Secret Service. "I'm proud of you guys," Vance praised the Ohio State players.
"You were resilient. You were tough.
You represented the state of Ohio well. You represented the whole country well."
As for whether the Buckeyes can return the compliment to Vance, well, that’s up for debate. Meanwhile, Coach Day, whose team deftly navigated their path to glory without such fumbles, praised his players for their determination and their flawless execution throughout the season.
"Being here with our players, staff, and university leadership is a moment we'll never forget," Day remarked. "Traveling to D.C. was the easy part.
Earning the right to be here was the hard one."
