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Pat McAfee Announces Disappointing ESPN News

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By J.C. Shelton | Last updated Feb 27, 2025 5:15 PM ET

Pat McAfee cleared the air on the future of his college football simulcast on Thursday.

The podcast host and "College GameDay" analyst was previously on a contract with ESPN that provided him and members of his show, like former Ohio State and NFL linebacker AJ Hawk, the opportunity to call ESPN's biggest matchups on the sidelines.

The alternate broadcast often times featured celebrity guests like actor Glen Powell and Texas superfan Matthew McConaughey, among others.

However, McAfee revealed on Thursday that his simulcast contract, which extended into the College Football Playoff postseason, "is up" after two seasons.

“That contract is up, we don’t know if that’s ever going to happen again,” McAfee told Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule during Thursday’s "The Pat McAfee Show." "It was a great time.”

McAfee recently returned to his regularly scheduled programming after a two-week vacation to a Disney park. Some believed the former West Virginia Mountaineer and Indianapolis Colts punter wouldn't be coming back to ESPN.

But, according to McAfee, his show will continue on the company's platforms.

“While we were down there, during our break, with how long it was, some people were wondering – I’ve heard – in the industry, ‘Oh, Pat McAfee and the show are never coming back to ESPN,'" he said on Wednesday.

"They thought we were gonna sail off into the sunset. Never come back,” McAfee said. “Then I popped my (expletive) into Disney and I think, ‘Is this not enough of a mention?’ I am literally in Mickey Mouse’s town having the time of my life."

McAfee continued by reaffirming his gratitude to the opportunity of airing his show on ESPN.

“We are so incredibly grateful that we get to do this," he said. "I think that was a lot of the thought while we were gone, is just gratitude, perspective, appreciation, and also, it’s time to get back to work.”

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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