Minnesota coach P. J. Fleck wipes player's blood on face after win

Minnesota Golden Gophers head coach P. J. Fleck drew widespread attention following his team’s 27-24 road victory over the Washington Huskies. During the postgame celebrations, Fleck was filmed wiping blood from the mouth of linebacker Maverick Baranowski and smearing it onto his own cheek.

Baranowski had been bleeding after taking a cleat to the face on the final play of the game. Fleck referred to the gesture as becoming ‘blood brothers,’ suggesting it was reminiscent of how frontiersmen in the West might have acted. While some social media users criticized the act for lacking sanitary protocols, Baranowski described the moment as a great way to share the excitement of a difficult Big Ten road win, calling Fleck a ‘crazy man.’

In addition to the viral celebration, Fleck also drew scrutiny during the game for an outburst toward officials after a disputed non-call on a Washington run in the first quarter.