The Alabama media’s relentless and sometimes silly quest to force Auburn head football coach Bryan Harsin to reveal his vaccination status is backfiring according to State Sen. Sam Givhan (R-Huntsville).

During an appearance on Huntsville radio NewsTalk 770AM/92.5FM WVNN’s “The Dale Jackson Show,” Givhan called the media “tone-deaf” and said the result was giving him “cult hero” status, noting Harsin had already had COVID.

“[T]he press is tone-deaf,” he said. “Their attacks on Bryan Harsin are a great example of that. They’re turning him into a damn cult hero because of the way they’re unfairly attacking him. And by the way, he had COVID, I guess, back in August because we went to the practice, and he had to be away from everybody else. He couldn’t go hang out with the fans because he had COVID. So, he may not have been cleared by his doctor to take a COVID shot unless he had been vaccinated beforehand.”

Later in his appearance, Givhan dismissed the possibility Harsin could get fired from the Auburn head coaching position, adding that it was a $14,000 penalty per violation and that the university would likely pay such a penalty if it were imposed.

@Jeff_Poor is a graduate of Auburn University and the University of South Alabama, the editor of Breitbart TV, a columnist for Mobile’s Lagniappe Weekly, and host of Mobile’s “The Jeff Poor Show” from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. on FM Talk 106.5.