ESPN officially announced Tuesday that Pat McAfee will be bringing his weekday sports talk show to the network this fall as part of a multiyear deal.
The former NFL punter turned media personality later confirmed the move on Twitter before easing some of the concerns from fans of his popular YouTube show.
“We ain’t changing a damn thing,” McAfee said. “That was literally the starter for every conversation with everybody this up to something season.”
“The Pat McAfee Show” will continue to air live weekdays simultaneously on ESPN, ESPN+ and the network’s YouTube channel. It is expected to slot in following “Get Up” and “First Take.” McAfee will continue in his analyst role on “College GameDay,” and on ESPN‘s alternate broadcasts of college football telecasts.
“Pat is a proven talent,” ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro said in a statement. “He and his team have built ‘The Pat McAfee Show’ into one of the most engaging programs in sports… It’s a destination for athlete interviews and breaking news, and the centerpiece of a growing community of sports fans. We’re honored to bring Pat and the show to ESPN through a multifaceted, multiplatform approach.”
McAfee, 36, launched the show in 2019 following his departure from Barstool Sports. Known for his lively personality, McAfee has gained acclaim for his weekly interviews with New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers throughout the 2021 and 2022 NFL regular seasons.
Pat McAfee excited to join ESPN family
“We are extremely honored that ESPN is blessing us with this opportunity to be a part of the next chapter of the ESPN family. We do not take that lightly… [We] are going to work hard to make sure this is a success,” McAfee said in a statement. “All parties involved agree the time has come for a bunch of sports stooges in a Thunderdome in Indiana to sprinkle in some fun and celebration of sport as well.”
McAfee is exiting his four-year, $120 million deal with FanDuel to make the jump to “The Worldwide Leader in Sports.” He will retain full creative control over the show, though he admitted there will be less f-bombs going forward.
“Our show will also be on in every airport, cafe, restaurant, house, etc, with the incomparable power of ESPN. Out of respect for that, we have decided we won’t be saying ‘f–k’ nearly as much… Every other word is good to go… everything else will be good,” McAfee said. “We will still have full creative control of the program. Why would ESPN want to license our show and then change it entirely? That makes no sense.”
