High school football is a big deal in Mississippi — to the degree that professional athletes still have beef with their hometown rival.
This proved true when Los Angeles Rams defensive back Emmanuel Forbes Jr. was asked to give a shoutout to his high school rival. The Rams’ media team put various players on the spot by prompting them to praise a familiar team, one rife with bad blood.
In Forbes’ case, the Grenada High School alum was prompted to speak positively on South Panola, and his response did not disappoint.
“Never. Never,” Forbes said. “Grenada High all the way. Go Chargers!”
Nothing like a good ol’ high school rivalry 🤭 pic.twitter.com/oHkKs16WEw
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) August 28, 2026
Forbes, who spent his college playing days at Mississippi State where he became the SEC’s all-time pick-six recordholder, is entering his fourth season in the NFL. The standout secondary piece was a first round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, with the Washington Commanders taking him with the No. 16 overall pick.
After a solid rookie campaign, Forbes released by the Commanders in Dec. 2024 and promptly picked up off waivers by the Rams. Forbes appeared in 17 of the Rams’ 20 games last season, logging 45 total tackles, three interceptions, and a forced fumble.
And as for his loyalty to Grenada High School, it is evident that Forbes is proud of his hometown. It might also be a fun idea for Los Angeles’ media team to try to coerce Forbes into saying “Hotty Toddy,” because it’s likely that the former Mississippi State Bulldog would have strong reservations there.