Special Forces’ George Santos Criticizes LeSean’s Departure Following Controversial Incident
George Santos expressed his candid thoughts on LeSean McCoy‘s unexpected choice to exit Special Forces due to his reluctance to relieve himself in public.
“There were 15 people in there, and we all handled it. But LeSean was undoubtedly the biggest prima donna of them all,” Santos, 38, told Us in an exclusive interview, suggesting that McCoy, 38, couldn’t manage the stress or the situation. “Mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the biggest queen of them all? It’s you, LeSean.”
Santos, who departed later in the episode airing Thursday, October 1, because of a medical concern, reminisced about an unaired discussion he had with McCoy.
“I pleaded with him. I was a duty recruit [but] it’s not in the scene. I followed him out when people said, ‘LeSean is about to give up.’ I was like, ‘No!’ I left that place limping in untied boots and in pain,” he shared with Us. “I was like, ‘LeSean, what are you doing? We just started.’ And he was like, ‘Nah, I don’t want to be in the army anymore. I’m not going to use the toilet outside.’ You can’t get more pampered than that. It’s just crazy.”
Season 5 of Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test has seen a steady decline of participants, but the decision by NFL player LeSean McCoy to leave the show due to his refusal to use the restroom outdoors surprised many viewers.
During Thursday’s episode of the popular Fox series, McCoy requested to exit after realizing he would need to relieve himself outside, prompting criticism from instructor Jovon “Q” Quarles, who believed McCoy didn’t exert enough effort.
Santos, for his part, didn’t disagree with the sentiment.
“I’ll be blunt. I feel like I gave my all. Ruby [Rose] gave it her all. Heck, Brandy [Glanville] fell into the water and still managed to swim back up,” he remarked. “LeSean is a fit man, a former superstar athlete. He could have done more. I found it quite disappointing.”
Santos elaborated: “This affects him in the long run because who’s going to want to book him again? But that’s for him and his agent to figure out. However, it certainly didn’t portray him in a good light. Look, Ruby exited because of her medical issue. I left due to my own medical condition. Brandy couldn’t continue after dealing with her injury. But then there’s LeSean, who considers himself the greatest football player ever, yet he can’t handle using an outdoor toilet. Come on, mature a little.”
Even though he left after only two days, Santos felt accomplished by pushing himself to the limit.
“I aimed to stay as long as possible. I conveyed to my teammates, ‘If my body gives out, you won’t break me psychologically. I’ve endured 41 days in solitary confinement, so there’s nothing worse than that,’” said Santos, who was convicted of fraud and identity theft in 2025. “I can handle anything mentally. The real challenge is always my body and my physical capacity to endure. I was extremely frustrated. I was filled with anger and emotion. When I left the set after officially tapping out, I kept thinking, ‘I need to go back. I might have made a mistake.’”
While audiences found LeSean McCoy‘s early exit from Special Forces amusing, some members of the Directing Staff were displeased with the NFL player’s abrupt departure. Instructor Jovon “Q” Quarles revealed to Page Six that McCoy’s action caused him to lose considerable respect for the athlete. “He really frustrated me,” Quarles admitted. “It’s frustrating for you to come […]”
Santos faced significant challenges, including chronic nerve pain in his back, adding, “I thought I could push through, but I couldn’t even stand on my leg. I was just like, ‘Wow, what is it that makes your mind and will to keep going?’ I told myself, I don’t care if I sever a limb until somebody leaves. I’m not giving up.”
Since the return of Special Forces on Fox, Santos has appreciated the response to his participation, telling Us, “It’s incredibly humbling. I’m accustomed to very different reactions. So, it’s heartwarming that people can see me and respond this way. It feels like healing because all I wanted was to be recognized outside of the headlines. At least people are getting to know a bit about who I am in a genuine way — not in a controlled studio environment where I show up for an interview, everyone laughs, and then just walks away.”
He concluded: “It’s emotional for me because I’ve been through a lot in recent years. I own the consequences of my actions, but to see that I can overcome that and continue fighting to reclaim some space feels incredibly heartwarming for me. I’m forever grateful to the audience, to Special Forces, and beyond for the love, support, and the memes. How amazing that I’m now a living meme!”
Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test season 5 airs on Fox Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET.
