Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed posted on X that Republican rival Mike Rogers was not chosen captain by teammates and that El-Sayed himself captained football, wrestling, and lacrosse while thanking Rogers for representing his school. Rogers answered that a 41-year-old stressing high school popularity looks as if he peaked then.

Rogers earlier ran an ad rejecting claims that football is racist and opposing men in womens sports. El-Sayed had previously written against football. Rogers served in the Army, worked as an FBI agent on organized crime, and served in Congress.