Pat McAfee Secures Lucrative $10 Million Per Year ESPN Deal

Pat McAfee, the former NFL punter turned media personality, is reportedly on the verge of signing a significant contract with ESPN.

The New York Post reports that McAfee will be moving his daily show, “The Pat McAfee Show,” from FanDuel to ESPN, earning him a salary of “more than eight figures per year.” The deal is expected to commence in the fall.

McAfee’s rise to prominence began when he joined ESPN’s “College GameDay” as a regular contributor while also hosting college football alt-broadcasts in collaboration with Peyton Manning’s Omaha Productions. Simultaneously, his own show on YouTube, “The Pat McAfee Show,” gained significant traction and became a major success.

During his absence from WWE SmackDown, where he served as a color commentator, Wade Barrett temporarily filled in for McAfee. The initial plan was for McAfee to return after the football season, but he made sporadic appearances, including a surprise match at WrestleMania 39.

While the details of McAfee’s new deal with ESPN are yet to be officially confirmed, sources suggest that it will be a multi-million dollar agreement. McAfee had previously signed a four-year, $120 million contract with FanDuel, which he is currently in the second year of.

Despite the move to ESPN, “The Pat McAfee Show” is expected to continue in some capacity on YouTube, potentially with segments also airing on ESPN. McAfee’s anticipated presence at the Disney Upfronts event indicates that an official announcement may be imminent.

As Disney, ESPN’s parent company, undergoes layoffs resulting in 7,000 job cuts, including positions at ESPN, McAfee’s lucrative deal demonstrates the network’s commitment to securing top talent in the competitive sports media landscape.

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