Former NFL linebacker Will Compton is responding to online criticism after attending his brother's wedding with his 17-month-old daughter, Scottie, who had been diagnosed with hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD).

The former football player and cohost of the Bussin' with the Boys podcast shared the situation on X on May 8, explaining that his family had traveled five hours to Missouri for his brother Cody's wedding while Scottie was sick.

"Didn't sleep last night because our youngest has HFMD," Compton wrote. He said his daughter cried through much of the trip because her feet were itching badly from the illness.

"We are in hell right now, men," he added, alongside a viral photo of Ben Affleck smoking, US Magazine reported.

HFMD is a contagious viral illness that commonly affects young children.

According to the Mayo Clinic and the CDC, symptoms can include fever, sore throat, painful mouth sores and rashes on the hands and feet. The disease spreads easily through close contact and respiratory droplets.

After Compton shared the post, many parents replied with sympathy and stories about caring for sick children. Others, however, questioned why he brought Scottie to a crowded wedding while she was contagious.

Will Compton Faces Criticism

One critic called the choice "one of the most irresponsible things a parent can do," arguing that the trip may have made Scottie more uncomfortable while also exposing guests to the virus.

According to People, Compton later pushed back at the criticism with humor. "Brother it was a wedding in small town Missouri," he replied. "We grew up on canola oil, cigarette smoke, and lead in our yards. Everyone's infected with something."

He also reposted a supporter's comment joking that people in Bonne Terre, Missouri, would be tough enough to handle the illness.

The lighthearted responses sparked even more discussion online, with some users defending Compton's honesty about parenting struggles while others remained concerned about public health risks.

Despite the controversy, Compton's wife, Charo, shared wedding photos on Instagram showing the family together at the celebration. "Another female became a Compton last night!!!" she wrote while congratulating Cody and his new wife, Kaitlyn.

Compton, who played in the NFL from 2013 to 2021 before retiring in 2023, also posted a Mother's Day tribute to Charo after the wedding weekend.

In the message, he praised her as a strong and loving mother to their daughters, Scottie and 4-year-old Cerulean Belle.

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