In one of the most bizarre and controversial moments of the NFL season, rumors have emerged that the Dallas Cowboys coaching staff allegedly fired kicker Brett Maher mid-game — not via a face-to-face conversation, but through a group text message sent during halftime.
According to a now-deleted tweet from an anonymous Cowboys practice squad member, Maher reportedly checked his phone in the locker room at halftime of Sunday’s game and found a message in the special teams group chat that read:
“Thanks for your service, Brett. We’re moving in a different direction. Please clear out your locker after the third quarter.”
Eyewitnesses claim Maher “looked visibly stunned” and did not return for the second half. Instead, punter Bryan Anger was seen warming up to attempt extra points — something he hadn’t done since high school.
Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy was asked about the incident in the post-game press conference. His response?
“We handle personnel decisions internally. And sometimes… technology speeds things up.”
Social media reacted instantly, with fans and rival teams flooding Twitter/X, TikTok, and Reddit with memes and reactions. Popular ones included:
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A fake iMessage screenshot reading:
“New Chat Name: Group Without Brett ” -
A TikTok trend where users pretended to get dumped via group chat with the caption:
“When the Cowboys treat you like an Uber Eats driver” -
Fan-made jersey edits reading “#BlockedByText”
Meanwhile, NFL Players Association representatives reportedly reached out to Maher to ensure the situation didn’t violate contractual or conduct rules.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones declined to confirm the story but told reporters,
“I’d prefer it was a fax machine, honestly.”
As of now, the Cowboys have not officially announced Maher’s release, but his name has been removed from the team’s official website roster — fueling further speculation.