In a recent appearance on ESPN’s First Take, Pat McAfee addressed the controversy surrounding the layoffs that affected the network earlier this year, making it clear that he shouldn’t bear the blame for the departures of several prominent ESPN personalities.
McAfee, who joined ESPN after leaving FanDuel in a high-profile move, was met with criticism from some fans, particularly Georgia Bulldogs supporters upset over the departure of former Bulldogs star David Pollack. Many had wrongly associated McAfee’s arrival with the network’s layoffs.
Setting the record straight, McAfee defended his position by explaining, “You’ve got to remember, the whole narrative over here was because my show came to ESPN, we fired Steve Young, we fired all the people that were here and were great people at ESPN and it was my show’s fault.”
He also addressed his recent experience at the SEC Championship Game, where he was booed by Georgia fans. McAfee playedfully trolled them by initially supporting Georgia and then switching allegiance to the Crimson Tide, which elicited a strong reaction from the crowd. Despite the backlash, McAfee emphasized that he had been respectful to the fans throughout the season but felt justified in his playful retaliation.
Stephen A. Smith, another prominent ESPN personality, supported McAfee’s sentiment, noting the cathartic nature of telling critics to “go to hell.”
Here’s Pat McAfee giving ESPN executives a heart attack by cursing on First Take and talking about people who were laid off before Molly Qerim tries to make the save. pic.twitter.com/2IWvoV6YHr
— Jimmy Traina (@JimmyTraina) December 5, 2023
Pat McAfee’s move to ESPN on a five-year, $85 million deal preceded a wave of layoffs at the network, but his contributions and popularity among viewers have made him a valuable addition to ESPN’s roster of talent.