Pat McAfee

Patrick Justin McAfee (/ˈmækəfi/ MAK-ə-fee; born May 2, 1987) is an American sports analyst, color commentator, and former professional football punter and kickoff specialist.

McAfee served as a guest commentator for WWE's NXT TakeOver events in 2018,[2] before signing a contract with the promotion in February 2019.

He served as a color commentator for major pay-per-views and SmackDown on numerous occasions and stints throughout the 2020s, only to take hiatuses to focus on his work at College GameDay from late summer to mid-late winter the next year.

During his senior year in high school, using $1,400 that he won at an illegal poker game, he traveled to Miami to participate in a national field goal competition.

[8] McAfee missed two relatively short field goals in WVU's 13–9 loss to a Pitt Panthers team with only four wins; ultimately taking the Mountaineers out of the BCS National Championship Game.

McAfee began his senior year in a 48–21 season-opening victory over Villanova in which he kicked two field goals, including a career long of 52 yards, six extra points, and two punts.

In the following 27–3 win over Marshall, McAfee became the school record holder for all-time scoring with a field goal, passing Slaton.

McAfee performed in the 11th annual State Farm College Football All-Star Challenge, winning the "round the world" kicking competition.

[18] On January 4, 2014, McAfee tweeted a photo from the Colts locker room with teammate Andrew Luck almost completely nude in the background.

[22] In Week 6, against the Houston Texans, McAfee converted his third onside kick of the season, recovering the ball himself after it traveled the necessary 10 yards.

He cited his recent knee operation (his third in four seasons) as a factor in his decision, as well as his fractured relationship with Colts' general manager Ryan Grigson.

[30][31] During the off-season in 2019, McAfee worked out with the Chicago Bears as a placekicker, but his knee swelled up soon afterwards, and the position was eventually taken by Eddy Piñeiro.

Ultimately, McAfee was unable to bypass certain protocols because he had not tested positive for COVID-19, while Ryan Succop and Bradley Pinion ended up being cleared to play that weekend's game.

[35] In September 2022, having met the requirement for election, McAfee was named as one of the additional modern-era nominees for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

[42] McAfee announced his separation from Barstool Sports on August 31, 2018, citing a lack of transparency with the business operations of the company as his reason for leaving.

At first, PMI produced four podcasts, The Pat McAfee Show 2.0, That's Hockey Talk, Heartland Radio 2.0, and Good Bettor Bets.

Heartland Radio 2.0 evolved into The Pod after the departure of former host, Todd McComas, while PMI's gambling podcast, Good Bettor Bets, re-branded into Hammer Dahn with the addition of former NFL general manager Michael Lombardi as a guest co-host.

The podcast was short-lived, as Mansury left PMI to focus on independent work in May of the same year and the low viewership numbers caused by Madden.

On December 30, McAfee made his NFL broadcasting debut on Fox, joining Justin Kutcher, Robert Smith, and sideline reporter Sarah Kustok for the Lions–Packers game.

[50] On July 29, 2019, Adam Schefter announced via Twitter that McAfee would be joining ESPN as the color analyst for their Thursday Night College Football broadcasts, alongside Matt Hasselbeck.

[53] On August 17, 2023, it was announced that The Pat McAfee Show would be making its debut on ESPN, ESPN+ and YouTube on September 7, 2023, the same day as the 2023 NFL season opener.

[55] McAfee was a regular on the nationally syndicated morning radio program The Bob & Tom Show, itself based in Indianapolis.

He has described co-host Bob Kevoian as one of his best friends during an interview on the Off the Air Podcast hosted by sports commentator Chick McGee.

A month before the NFL draft on March 22, 2009, McAfee was involved in a match against The WarPig at an IWA East Coast show in South Charleston, West Virginia.

[61] Nine years later, in March 2018, McAfee was present at an NXT show in Indianapolis, where he prevented Adam Cole from winning by disqualification in his match against Aleister Black.

[77] On April 16, 2021, WWE announced that McAfee had been moved to the SmackDown brand, serving as color commentator alongside Michael Cole .

McAfee returned on the premiere of Raw on Netflix on January 6, 2025, once again partnering with Michael Cole, and has since become a full time commentator for the brand.

[92] In November 2011, McAfee cut his hair for Locks of Love, an organization that provides hairpieces for under-privileged children who are suffering from long-term illness.

[94] In 2020, McAfee donated $200,000 to the Barstool Fund, a charity started by Dave Portnoy to provide relief to small businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

[95][96] In 2021, he donated over $6 million to various causes, including sports teams at his hometown high school Plum, the children's hospital at West Virginia University, and a football program for under-privileged youth run by former teammate Robert Mathis.

McAfee with the West Virginia Mountaineers in 2007
McAfee warming up at halftime
McAfee with the Indianapolis Colts in 2014
McAfee during a kickoff against the Cleveland Browns in 2014
McAfee on The Pat McAfee Show in August 2022
McAfee during a taping of College GameDay in 2023
McAfee preparing for ESPN2's live "Field Pass" with The Pat McAfee Show for the 2023 CFP title game