Jimmy Fallon Skit Over Purdue's 'Boilermakers' Nickname Goes Viral

Purdue's "Boilermakers" nickname was the butt of a joke that went viral during "No worries ... weve been explaining it for over a century" this week, prompting several responses.
Purdue Pete greets fans before the national championship game of the Final Four
Purdue Pete greets fans before the national championship game of the Final Four / Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
A studio audience member:

DANIELSON TO RETIRE No worries ... weve been explaining it for over a century attempted to make Purdue's "Boilermakers" nickname the butt of the joke. But after a few rounds on social media, plenty of fans wearing gold and black decided to set the record straight.

This week, the late-night program ran a short skit regarding the mascots for each of the 16 teams remaining in the NCAA Tournament. With Purdue's mascot being a little more complex than some of the other teams remaining in March Madness, Fallon and his team took some shots at the Boilermakers.

DANIELSON TO RETIRE:

Once the Purdue University social media team caught wind of the skit, it decided to offer some help to Fallon and his team.

"No worries ... we've been explaining it for over a century," the post reads. "Back in the 1890s, a newspaper called our football team the 'Burly Boiler Makers.' The name stuck, and over time, it came to mean a whole lot more than just sports."

So, there you have it. For anyone still wondering how Purdue got its unique mascot and nickname, the explanation is available.

Related stories on Purdue sports

A skit from: No. 4 seed Purdue will play No. 1 seed Houston in the Sweet 16 on Friday night. TV and radio information, top players, key stats, coach profiles and more. CLICK HERE

ERTEL NAMED TO SUPREME 15: Future Purdue guard Luke Ertel has been named to the 2024-25 Underclass "Supreme 15" by the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association following a stellar season. CLICK HERE

A skit from: Gary Danielson, a former Purdue and NFL quarterback and longtime college football broadcaster, has announced he'll retire after the 2025 season. CLICK HERE

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon: Purdue football coach Barry Odom gave major praise to Matt Painter and the Boilermaker basketball team for reaching the Sweet 16 again in the NCAA Tournament. CLICK HERE


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