Caitlin Clark’s Boyfriend Posts Cryptic Emoji After His Dad’s Firing as Iowa Coach

Fran McCaffery’s tenure as the University of Iowa’s men’s basketball head coach has officially come to an end. The coach, who held the position for 15 years, was reportedly fired on Friday, just a day after being ejected from a Big 10 Tournament game against Illinois—a game Iowa lost in a crushing 106-94 blowout. This marks Iowa’s second consecutive year missing out on the NCAA tournament.

McCaffery’s dramatic ejection during Thursday’s game quickly made the rounds on social media. But the spotlight didn’t end there. Shortly after news outlets confirmed his firing, McCaffery’s son, Connor, posted three clown emojis on X (formerly Twitter). The cryptic post, which has since been deleted, left everyone buzzing. Was it a jab at the university? The decision-makers? Or just frustration boiling over?

Connor McCaffery, a former Iowa player himself and current assistant coach at Butler, has always been closely tied to his father’s journey. His last two posts on X were vastly different in tone—one a celebratory retweet of his dad’s 200-win milestone at Iowa, and another heartfelt tribute showcasing an emotional interview of Fran after a win over Rutgers earlier this year. Talk about a rollercoaster of emotions.

During his six seasons playing for his father at Iowa, Connor appeared in 166 games, the second most in school history, despite battling injuries. Known for his sharp basketball IQ, he finished with a stellar career assist-to-turnover ratio of 3.59, the second best in NCAA history. Love him or hate him, the guy could dish out a pass.

Interestingly, Iowa also served as the backdrop for Connor’s relationship with Caitlin Clark, the superstar of the university’s women’s basketball team. The two started dating in April 2023 after Clark’s historic run to the NCAA title game. Safe to say, basketball runs deep in this duo’s DNA.

As for Fran McCaffery, his Iowa legacy is a mixed bag. While he leaves as the program’s all-time wins leader with a 297-207 record, the promise of advancing deep into the NCAA tournament remained elusive. Under his leadership, the Hawkeyes made seven tournament appearances, but never cracked the Sweet 16. The COVID-19 pandemic robbed him of what could’ve been an eighth shot in 2020.

Whether you see Fran’s firing as overdue or undeserved, one thing is clear: emotions are running high in the McCaffery household. And in true family fashion, Connor’s brief emoji-laden reaction might’ve said more than any press release ever could.