Patrick Justin McAfee (born May 2, 1987) is an American sports analyst, podcaster, professional wrestling commentator and former American football punter. In December 2018, it was reported that he had signed a multi-year contract with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and officially signed the contract in February 2019. He has been a color commentator on the SmackDown brand and WWE Pay-Per-Views. He was a placekicker at West Virginia and was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL Draft. Over his eight-year career in the National Football League (NFL), McAfee made two Pro Bowls and was an All-Pro in 2014.
Since his retirement from football in February 2017, McAfee has been an analyst in football and professional wrestling. He was a guest host for Fox Sports' college and NFL broadcasts in late 2018, before being announced as part of ESPN's Thursday Night College Football team in July 2019. He also guested for WWE's NXT TakeOver events during 2018, before signing a contract in February 2019.
McAfee is also a stand-up comedian, has performed in events around Indiana, and runs his own daily podcast show after previously having a show on CBS Sports Radio.
Professional wrestling career[]
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. WarPig controlled much of the match but, McAfee hit him with a low blow and a super kick, securing an upset victory. Nine years later on 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. Instead, McAfee's distraction gave Black enough time to recover and hit Cole with his finisher Black Mass.
World Wrestling Entertainment[]
During 2018, McAfee began appearing on WWE programming as a pre-show analyst for the company's NXT TakeOver events, beginning with NXT TakeOver: New Orleans, where he continued his mini-feud with Adam Cole. He later appeared at NXT TakeOver: Chicago II, NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn 4 and NXT TakeOver: WarGames. In December, it was reported that he had formally signed a multi-year contract with WWE, and officially signed the contract in February 2019. He then began hosting live watch-along of WWE's pay-per-views on YouTube, beginning with Fastlane, alongside a number of WWE wrestlers. In the buildup to WrestleMania, McAfee, his crew and various special guests traveled venue to venue in an RV, that his friend Zito got stuck under an awning, which was filmed for Pat McAfee's Road to WrestleMania. Backstage at the event, McAfee got into an argument with Michael Cole, when Cole had criticized him for wearing tuxedo shorts. McAfee threatened to quit on the spot and was sent to another room while the situation was dealt with. After Vince McMahon was shown an image of LeBron James at the 2018 NBA Finals, and that the outfit was similar to the one McAfee was wearing for WrestleMania, McMahon approved and McAfee was allowed to co-host the second hour of the pre-show, alongside Charly Caruso.
McAfee made a guest appearance on the November 1, 2019 edition of SmackDown, as part of an on-air staff filling in for Cole and Graves (who were not able to make it back from Crown Jewel on time), where McAfee fully supported NXT's invasion of the show, and ultimately stormed the ring alongside the rest of the NXT roster at the end of the broadcast as they declared war on both Raw and SmackDown.
On July 23, 2020, Cole was a guest on McAfee's podcast. Cole became very frustrated with him during the interview for saying that The Undisputed Era was the reason for his success and that he would not have achieved all that he had on his own because he was a small guy. This would cause Cole to eventually curse out McAfee, break his microphone, push his friend and storm out of the interview. Triple H would appear on McAfee's podcast a few days later to invite him to come to an episode of NXT to talk things out with Cole. He appeared on the August 5 episode of NXT, appearing to have made up with Cole. However, later in the evening, as he was a guest commentator for an NXT tag team match between Bobby Fish and Kyle O'Reilly of the Undisputed Era and Fabian Aichner and Marcel Barthel of Imperium, Cole noticed him at the commentary table and began to insult and attack him, resulting in McAfee punting Cole's head. The next day, Triple H challenged McAfee to a match on behalf of Cole at NXT TakeOver: XXX, which he accepted. At the event, McAfee, in his first match for WWE, was defeated. He returned to NXT on October 21, 2020, interfering in an NXT tag team title match between Breezango (Fandango and Tyler Breeze) vs Danny Burch & Oney Lorcan, resulting in Burch and Lorcan winning the NXT Tag Team Championship and aligning with McAfee, in which all three turned heel. A week later, Pete Dunne aligned with McAfee after appearing to help Kyle O'Reilly go up against McAfee, Burch and Lorcan. On, December 6, 2020 at NXT TakeOver: WarGames 2020, Team McAfee (McAfee, Dunne, Lorcan, and Burch) took on the Undisputed era in a WarGames match. McAfee hit a senton from the top of the cage onto the other competitors, but in the end his team was defeated.
On April 16, 2021, WWE announced that McAfee had been moved to the SmackDown brand as a color commentator alongside Michael Cole.
On March 3, 2022 Vince McMahon was a guest on Pat's podcast where he told Pat he would receive a match at WrestleMania 38. It was later revealed on SmackDown that McMahon's protege Austin Theory would be Pat's opponent. On Night 2 of WrestleMania McAfee would beat Theory after a rollup pin. After the match he challenged Mr. McMahon to an impromptu match which McMahon accepted. Before and even during the match, Theory would attack McAfee. Vince would punt a football on McAfee and pinned him for the victory. After the match, Stone Cold Steve Austin came to the ring to deliver a Stunner to both Theory and McMahon. McAfee would celebrate with the Texas Rattlesnake by drinking cans of beer with him before being hit by a Stunner as well.
On September 6, 2022 Pat announced via his social media he would be joining ESPN College GameDay. The next day on his podcast Pat announced after discussing it with WWE he would be taking time away to focus on College GameDay.
Championships and accomplishments[]
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter
- Rookie of the Year (2020)
