Pat McAfee

Patrick Justin McAfee (born May 2, 1987) is an American sports analyst, podcaster, professional wrestler and former football punter. McAfee is currently signed to WWE where he performs on the NXT brand. 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.

Pat McAfee

McAfee with the Colts in 2014
No. 1
Position:	Punter
Personal information
Born:	(1987-05-02) May 2, 1987 Plum, Pennsylvania
Height:	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight:	233 lb (106 kg)
Career information
High school:	Plum (PA)
College:	West Virginia
NFL Draft:	2009 / Round: 7 / Pick: 222
Career history
Indianapolis Colts (2009–2016)
Career highlights and awards
2× Pro Bowl (2014, 2016) First-team All-Pro (2014) PFWA All-Rookie Team (2009) First-team All-American (2008) PFF Punter of the Decade
Career NFL statistics
Punts: 575 Punting yards: 26,669 Punting average: 46.4 Longest punt: 74 Inside 20: 193 Player stats at NFL.com
Player stats at PFR

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, where he is being primarily used for live watch-alongs of the companies' pay-per-views. McAfee is also a stand-up comedian, and has performed in events around Indiana, and runs his own daily podcast show.[1]

Football career

High school

McAfee attended Plum High School in his hometown of Plum, Pennsylvania, playing both soccer and football. As a senior, he borrowed $100 from a friend and played poker at an illegal club, turning it into $1,400. He used the funds to finance a trip to Miami to participate in the final day of a national competition highlighting the best field goal kicking prospects in America. McAfee made nine consecutive field goals, starting at 25 yards and moving five yards out each time. He narrowly missed a 70-yard field goal, with the ball missing to the right but with enough distance to make it. After returning home, he was approached in the school's lunchroom by Tony Gibson, West Virginia's recruiting coordinator, who offered him a scholarship.[2]

College career

Freshman season 2005

McAfee earned the starting job at West Virginia as a freshman. He was 11-for-18 as a freshman on field goals, and had 70 kickoffs for the season with 20 being touchbacks. McAfee's most memorable moment came against Louisville in a 46–44 triple overtime win, which was reached after a successful McAfee onside kick. The onside kick gave running back Steve Slaton the chance to tie the game with a one-yard touchdown run.[3]

Sophomore season 2006

Although they had losses to Louisville and USF, the Mountaineers won ten games and were victors in the Gator Bowl over Georgia Tech.[4]

Junior season 2007

McAfee started his junior season with a missed extra point against Western Michigan, ending his streak of 106 consecutive extra points. He finished the season in the Fiesta Bowl with a 2 for 4 performance, having one kick blocked by Oklahoma. He was named to the ESPN All-Bowl Team following the bowl season.[5]

McAfee missed two relatively short field goals in WVU's 13–9 loss to a Pitt Panthers team with only 4 wins; ultimately taking the Mountaineers out of the BCS National Championship Game. He was named to the 2007 Lou Groza Award semi-finalist list for the best collegiate kicker. McAfee earned Big East Special Team Player of the week honors three times in 2007 and was named second-team All-Big East. He earned West Virginia's Scott Shirley Award for the second consecutive year.

Senior season 2008

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. He went two for two on field goals to move to third place for the Big East record of career field goals made in a 34–17 victory over Auburn.

Against Cincinnati on November 8, the Mountaineers trailed by 13 points with 1:11 left in regulation, but reduced the deficit to 3 points with a safety, touchdown, and two-point conversion, all in less than a minute. McAfee's onside kick was recovered with 18 seconds remaining. He then tied the game as time expired with a 52-yard field goal, but the Mountaineers would lose in overtime.

McAfee finished his senior year with a career-best 44.7 yards per punt average, a Big East-leading 23 punts inside the 20-yard line, and a career-high 2,639 yards with a 65-yard long.

Professional career

Pre-draft

After his senior season at WVU, McAfee was invited to the 2009 Senior Bowl in Alabama, joining Mountaineers Pat White and Ellis Lankster. He started the Senior Bowl as the South team's kicker. McAfee performed in the 11th annual State Farm College Football All-Star Challenge, winning the "round the world" kicking competition. As he was not invited to the NFL Combine, he had team workouts with the Indianapolis Colts, Dallas Cowboys and New England Patriots, all as a kicker.[6]

Indianapolis Colts

McAfee was drafted in the seventh round (222nd overall) of the 2009 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts. McAfee was signed before training camp. He handled punting and kick-off duties for the Colts in 2009, as well as holding for extra-points and field goals, a position he had never played before. In 2009 McAfee helped Indianapolis win the AFC South, the AFC Championship, and helped the Colts reach Super Bowl XLIV.

McAfee maintained a 46.6-yard punting average for the 2011 regular season, a mark he would better the following season by posting a 48.2-yard average on punts.[7]

On January 4, 2014, McAfee tweeted a photo with Colts teammate Andrew Luck in the background, almost completely nude.[8] McAfee, who was taking a picture of kicker Adam Vinatieri being interviewed in the locker room, apologized for the incident and was fined $10,000 by the Colts organization, according to his interview with The Bob & Tom Show.[9] On March 7, McAfee announced he had signed a five-year contract to remain with the Colts.[10]

McAfee was named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Month for September 2014. He led the NFL in punting average (45.6 yards) and touchbacks on kickoff (24), and converted the NFL's only two successful onside kicks in the first four weeks of the season.[11] In week 6, McAfee converted his third onside kick of the season, recovering the ball himself after it traveled the necessary 10 yards.[12] On December 23, 2014, McAfee was selected to play in his first Pro Bowl,[13] and on January 2, 2015, he was selected by the Associated Press as the First Team All-Pro punter.[14]

On December 20, 2016, McAfee was named to his second Pro Bowl.[15]

On February 2, 2017, after eight seasons, McAfee retired from the NFL and stated he intended to join Barstool Sports as a contributor. 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.[16][17]

Career statistics

Legend
	Led the league
Bold	Career high

Regular season

Season	Team	Punting
		GP	Punts	Yds	Net Yds	Lng	Avg	Net Avg	Blk	OOB	Dn	In 20	TB	FC	Ret	RetY	TD
2009	IND	16	64	2,837	2,416	60	44.3	37.8	0	0	7	21	6	15	36	301	0
2010	IND	15	65	2,731	2,302	66	42.0	35.4	0	3	8	21	7	22	25	289	1
2011	IND	16	88	4,098	3,488	64	46.6	39.2	1	8	11	21	3	18	48	550	1
2012	IND	16	73	3,520	2,985	64	48.2	40.3	1	10	9	26	8	14	32	375	1
2013	IND	16	76	3,499	2,963	65	46.0	38.5	1	8	15	27	7	17	29	396	1
2014	IND	16	69	3,221	2,956	61	46.7	42.8	0	7	5	30	3	19	35	205	0
2015	IND	16	85	4,052	3,546	63	47.7	41.7	0	7	13	28	6	23	36	386	3
2016	IND	16	55	2,711	2,392	74	49.3	42.7	1	7	5	19	9	17	17	139	0
Career		127	575	26,669	23,048	74	46.4	40.1	4	50	73	193	49	145	258	2,641	7

Postseason

Season	Team	Punting
		GP	Punts	Yds	Net Yds	Lng	Avg	Net Avg	Blk	OOB	Dn	In 20	TB	FC	Ret	RetY	TD
2009	IND	3	12	550	514	56	45.8	42.8	0	0	0	3	1	7	4	16	0
2010	IND	1	4	153	138	46	38.3	34.5	0	0	1	1	0	2	1	15	0
2012	IND	1	4	194	137	53	48.5	34.3	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	57	0
2013	IND	2	6	310	268	58	51.7	44.7	0	0	0	0	0	0	6	42	0
2014	IND	2	8	375	296	68	46.9	37.0	0	1	1	1	3	0	3	19	0
Career		9	34	1,582	1,350	68	46.2	38.7	0	1	2	5	4	9	18	149	0

Post-playing career

Barstool Sports

Following his retirement from football at the close of the 2016 season, McAfee joined Barstool Sports, where he developed the "Heartland" division of the company in Indianapolis and hosted The Pat McAfee Show on SiriusXM channel Barstool Power 85. 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.

Fox Sports and ESPN

On November 24, 2018, McAfee made his college football broadcasting debut on Fox, calling a college football game between Baylor and Texas Tech. 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.[18]

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. Also, McAfee will be making regular weekly appearances on Get Up!. This news comes after McAfee had auditioned for on ESPN's Monday Night Football after Jason Witten's return to the Cowboys, though ESPN decided to retain its booth as-is.[19] McAfee began making regular appearances on ESPN's College GameDay in 2019.

DAZN and Westwood One

On August 7, 2019, it was reported that McAfee would begin to host a two-hour, weekday radio show, The Pat McAfee Show, beginning September 9, 2019, syndicated by Westwood One and DAZN. The deal with DAZN also includes McAfee streaming his podcast on the service three times per week, and appearances in NFL-related shoulder content in regions where DAZN holds streaming rights to the league (primarily Canada and Germany).[20][21]

Other appearances

McAfee is 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.[22] In 2018, McAfee made his professional baseball debut for the Washington Wild Things as a right-fielder and guest first base coach. He made a putout in the outfield and went 0-3 at the plate, reaching second base on a throwing error before being replaced with a pinch runner.[23]

He was a sideline reporter for the XFL for some of its games in 2020.[24] In 2020, McAfee and former linebacker A. J. Hawk began a podcast, McAfee & Hawk: Sports Talk.

Professional wrestling career

In-ring endeavors

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.[25] 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. Instead, McAfee's distraction was enough time for Black to recover and hit Cole with his finisher, Black Mass.[26]

On July 23, 2020, Cole was a guest on McAfees podcast. Cole became very frustrated with McAfee during the interview for saying that the Undisputed Era was the reason for his success and he would not have achieved all that he has 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'a podcast a few days later to invite him to come to an episode of NXT to talk things out with Cole. McAfee appeared in the August 5 episode of NXT, appearing to have made up with Cole. However, later in the night, as McAfee was a guest commentator in a 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 McAfee at the commentary table and began to insult and attack McAfee, resulting in McAfee punting Cole's head. The next day, Triple H challenged McAfee to a match on behalf of Cole on NXT TakeOver: XXX, which McAfee accepted.

Analyst work with WWE

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,[27] NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn 4[28] and NXT TakeOver: WarGames. In December, it was reported that he had formally signed a multi-year contract with WWE,[29] and officially signed the contract in February 2019.[30][31] He then began hosting live watch-along of WWE's pay-per-views on YouTube, beginning with Fastlane, alongside a number of WWE wrestlers.[32] In the buildup to WrestleMania, McAfee, his crew and various special guests travelled venue to venue in an RV, which was filmed for Pat McAfee's Road to WrestleMania.[33] Backstage at the event, McAfee got into an argument with Michael Cole, when Cole had criticised 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.[34]

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.[35][36][37][38]

Philanthropy

McAfee visits Camp Atterbury with Wish for Our Heroes in 2012

The Pat McAfee Foundation is a not-for-profit organization with the goal of providing assistance for the sons and daughters of military personnel. McAfee worked closely with his father, Tim McAfee, to establish the foundation.[39]

In May 2016, McAfee created a company named Shirts for America, to serve as a sponsor for Indycar driver Conor Daly for the 2016 Indianapolis 500 and to support both the Pat McAfee Foundation and Wish for Our Heroes.[40]

In November 2011, McAfee chopped off his signature locks for Locks of Love, an organization that provides hairpieces for children who are suffering from long-term illness and are poor.[41]

Personal life

On October 20, 2010, McAfee was arrested and charged with public intoxication, a Class B misdemeanor. McAfee had been found shirtless and wet, and alleged to have swum in a canal in Broad Ripple, a popular nightclub area, at approximately 5:15 that morning after being reported by a woman who found him near her car. Police reported that he tested with a blood alcohol content of 0.15.[42] The Colts later issued a one-game suspension to McAfee for his actions.[43] Two weeks after being arrested, McAfee issued an apology for his actions. "Obviously I made a dumb decision on a night when things got out of control," he said. "I will never put my team or my family through this kind of embarrassment again."[44]

On February 5, 2016, McAfee became a Guinness World Record holder by successfully kicking a 40-yard field goal while blindfolded.[45] The record was surpassed two years later when Davis Brief, a fan of McAfee's, kicked a 45-yard field goal while blindfolded on September 23, 2018.[46]

McAfee became engaged to his girlfriend, Samantha Ludy, in February 2019.[47] The two were married August 1, 2020, at Coxhall Gardens in Carmel, Indiana.

References

1. Bream, Rebecca. "Pat McAfee making Indiana comedy tour". Indy Star. USA Today. Retrieved February 2, 2016.
2. Keefer, Zak (October 24, 2014). "$100, a lie and a poker club: How Pat McAfee became an NFL punter". indystar.com. Retrieved October 24, 2014.
3. "MSNsportsNET.Com - West Virginia University Mountaineers".
4. "MSNsportsNET.Com - West Virginia University Mountaineers".
5. "ESPN.com's 2007 All-Bowl Football Team". sports.espn.go.com.
6. Jose (July 16, 2016), Pat McAfee: Uncaged Part 2, retrieved June 20, 2017
7. "Pat McAfee, P for the Indianapolis Colts". NFL.com. Retrieved March 7, 2014.
8. Hanzus, Dan (January 9, 2014). "Pat McAfee fined for posting Andrew Luck in the buff". NFL.com. Retrieved January 11, 2014.
9. "NFL punter Pat McAfee Explains His Tweet".
10. Sanchez, Josh (March 7, 2014). "Pat McAfee, Indianapolis Colts agree to five-year deal". fansided.com. Retrieved March 7, 2014.
11. "Colts' Pat McAfee named AFC Special Teams Player of the Month". wthr.com. October 2, 2014. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved October 2, 2014.
12. Mandell, Nina (October 9, 2014). "The Colts completely fooled the Texans with an early onside kick". ftw.usatoday.com. Retrieved October 10, 2014.
13. "2015 Pro Bowl: Complete roster". NFL.com. December 23, 2014. Retrieved December 23, 2014.
14. Wesseling, Chris (January 2, 2015). "2014 All-Pro Teams: Analysis of the full rosters". nfl.com. Retrieved January 2, 2015.
15. Horner, Scott (December 20, 2016). "T.Y. Hilton, Pat McAfee of the Colts named to Pro Bowl". indystar.com. Retrieved December 21, 2016.
16. "Colts punter Pat McAfee retires from NFL to join Barstool Sports | FOX Sports". FOX Sports. February 2, 2017. Retrieved February 2, 2017.
17. Smith, Michael David (September 5, 2018). "Pat McAfee: Ryan Grigson fining me for an Instagram post led to my retirement". Pro Football Talk.
18. "Former Colts punter Pat McAfee making NFL broadcasting debut for Lions vs. Packers". December 27, 2018.
19. "Pat McAfee joins ESPN as college football color analyst". SI.com. Retrieved July 29, 2019.
20. Guthrie, Marisa (August 7, 2019). "Former NFL Star Pat McAfee Lands Daily Show on DAZN and Westwood One (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter.
21. September 16; 2019. "Party time: How DAZN, Westwood One got McAfee". www.sportsbusinessdaily.com. Retrieved December 29, 2019.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
22. "Episode 128: Pat McAfee Returns". Off the Air Podcast. February 10, 2015.
23. Pat McAfee: Professional Baseball Player, retrieved January 4, 2020
24. Tornoe, Rob. "The XFL lasted just one season back in 2001. Can it do better this time?". Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved February 10, 2020.
25. Panucci, Rudy (March 23, 2009). "Pat McAfee In The Ring: The PopCult Instant Mini Photo Essay". Charleston Gazette-Mail. Retrieved August 7, 2019.
26. Mack, Justin L. (March 5, 2019). "Pat McAfee steals the show, settles beef with Adam Cole at WWE NXT". Indianapolis Star. Retrieved August 7, 2019.
27. Aiken, Chris (June 16, 2018). "NXT TAKEOVER CHICAGO LIVE RESULTS: GARGANO VS. CIAMPA STREET FIGHT". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved August 7, 2019.
28. Aiken, Chris (August 18, 2018). "NXT TAKEOVER BROOKLYN IV LIVE RESULTS: CIAMPA VS. GARGANO". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved August 7, 2019.
29. Caron, Emily (December 28, 2018). "Former Colts Punter Pat McAfee Signs Multi-Year Contract With WWE". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved August 7, 2019.
30. Benigno, Anthony (February 7, 2019). "Pat McAfee signs as contributor with WWE". WWE. Retrieved August 7, 2019.
31. Panucci, Rudy (February 7, 2019). "WVU Great And IWA East Coast Wrestler Pat McAfee Joins WWE". Charleston Gazette-Mail. Retrieved August 7, 2019.
32. Currier, Joseph (March 7, 2019). "FIRST WWE WATCH ALONG TO STREAM ON SOCIAL MEDIA DURING FASTLANE". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved August 7, 2019.
33. Wilkinson, Matthew (April 4, 2019). "Watch: Pat McAfee Joined By WWE Superstars On The Road To WrestleMania Backstage". ProWrestling.com. Retrieved August 7, 2019.
34. Mack, Justin L. (April 12, 2019). "Pat McAfee almost quit his WWE dream job moments before WrestleMania over tuxedo shorts". Indianapolis Star. Retrieved August 7, 2019.
35. "WWE Sets Announcers for 'SmackDown' in Wake of Saudi Arabia Delays: McAfee will make his in-ring debut at NXT Takeover 30 where he will face Adam Cole". TheWrap. November 1, 2019. Retrieved November 2, 2019.
36. "Special WWE SmackDown Announce Team Revealed For Tonight, Update On The WWE Travel Situation". Wrestling Inc. November 1, 2019.
37. "Shayna Baszler, Matt Riddle, Keith Lee Appear On WWE SmackDown | Fightful Wrestling". www.fightful.com.
38. "NXT invasion takes place on WWE SmackDown". WON/F4W - WWE news, Pro Wrestling News, WWE Results, UFC News, UFC results. November 1, 2019.
39. "About Us-History". Pat McAfee Foundation. Archived from the original on May 14, 2012. Retrieved January 1, 2013.
40. "Pat McAfee founds company Shirts for America to sponsor Conor Daly in Indy 500". WHTR. Retrieved May 30, 2016.
41. Chapman, Chuck. "Pat McAfee Sheds Ponytail for Charity". Sports Media 101. Archived from the original on December 12, 2013. Retrieved January 1, 2013.
42. "Colts' McAfee Suspended After Public Intoxication Arrest". theindychannel.com. October 21, 2010. Archived from the original on March 7, 2012. Retrieved July 23, 2014.
43. "Colts punter Pat McAfee charged with misdemeanor - IndyStar.com". Archived from the original on December 13, 2013.
44. "Colts punter Pat McAfee apologizes for 'embarrassing' arrest". USA Today. November 3, 2010.
45. daSilva, Cameron. "Colts' Pat McAfee sets Guinness World Record for longest blindfolded FG". Fox Sports. Retrieved February 16, 2016.
46. "Farthest blindfolded American football field goal". www.guinnessworldrecords.com. Retrieved August 11, 2020.
47. "Ex-Colts punter Pat McAfee's marriage proposal includes waterfall, helicopter". Atlanta Journal Constitution. February 11, 2019.

External links

• Official website