Joel Embiid has faced accusations of being soft on the court for years. Now, critics are saying he's soft in the press room too.

After the Philadelphia 76ers suffered a humiliating 144-114 home loss, getting swept out of the playoffs by the New York Knicks, Embiid owed fans and media some honest answers. As the face of the franchise, tough questions were inevitable. But there was a problem: Embiid had his five-year-old son sitting on his lap throughout the entire press conference.

On Monday's edition of ESPN Radio's Unsportsmanlike, former NFL defensive end Chris Canty didn't hold back. He accused Embiid of using his son as a "human shield" to deflect criticism.

"It's hard for reporters to ask hard-hitting questions when you have that ball of cuteness sitting in Joel Embiid's lap," Canty said. "I can't really get into it with Joel Embiid with his son right there."

Canty went further, calling out what he sees as a failure of leadership. "Own the moment. Your team was absolutely embarrassing. Face the firing squad that is the Philadelphia media. Let them ask the tough questions. Take the slings and arrows. Be the face of the failure."

This isn't the first time this trend has sparked debate. Sports radio host Maggie Gray previously argued that athletes bringing kids to press conferences prevents reporters from doing their jobs effectively. While bringing a child to a celebratory post-win presser might be harmless, doing it after a season-ending sweep sends a very different message.

For Embiid, the criticism isn't just about one press conference. It's about accountability, leadership, and the fine line between being a family man and being the face of a franchise in its most vulnerable moment.