Gus Johnson Not Sure If It's Hot In Here Or Just Him, Can't Stop Admiring Beefy Referee's Arms

When Mike Defee officiates a football game, you can be fairly sure that what transpires on the field will be discussed about half as much as what’s protruding from Defee’s sleeves. His arms first came to prominence a few years ago in the 2017 title game between Alabama and Clemson, after which he told SB Nation he lifts several times a week. Now, he’s refereeing Saturday’s Texas-Oklahoma Red River Rivalry game ( already off to a rollicking start) being called by play-by-play broadcaster Gus Johnson, who is rather taken with this beefy lad and has resorted to aroused hollering to let everyone know.

In the first quarter, while an Oklahoma pass play was being reviewed, Johnson pointed out Defee’s stunning physique to his partner in the booth Joel Klatt. “You can see Mike Defee has continued his hard work in the weight room. He’s jacked!” seconds before letting out a guttural, growling “Guns out!”

Johnson has presumably been praying all game for more excuses to gawk at Beefy Mike, and got his wish late in the second quarter, when Defee needed to look at a replay of Jalen Hurts’ incomplete endzone pass to Charleston Rambo. “Well, there is one reason to take another look at it. We get another opportunity to take a look at Mike Defee. Obviously, he’s been working on the biceps, triceps, shoulders,” Johnson said, pausing, I imagine, to wipe the drool from his chin while a producer hissed at him to please introduce rules analyst Mike Pereira. “And with that in mind, we got our main man with us in the booth today, folks. Mikey Rulebooks.”

C’mon, Gus! Just play it cool.