Pat McAfee signs deal with ESPN, WWE future still uncertain

[Chris]

Former WWE SmackDown color commentator Pat McAfee is taking his popular daily show to ESPN.

First announced by the New York Post Tuesday, McAfee has signed a multi-million dollar, multi-year agreement that is believed to be bringing him more than eight figures per year.

As a result, he will leave behind a four-year, $120 million contract with Fanduel of which he is in the second year. He had already been doing work with ESPN on College GameDay and alternative college football commentary work via Peyton Manning's production company.

The 36-year-old appeared at the Disney upfront Tuesday to confirm the news, seen below.

What is still unknown is his future with WWE.

Prior to making a surprise appearance at April's WrestleMania 39, McAfee commented on his status with the company in March, saying that he thinks about wrestling every day and "that dream isn't done."

"....I still have MASSIVE plans for my journey to the WWE HOF someday. Believe that," he tweeted at the time.

McAfee left his SmackDown broadcasting job last September to begin his GameDay work, but made a surprise appearance at this year's Royal Rumble to return to the desk.

He had signed a three-year extension with WWE in July 2022.

https://www.f4wonline.com/news/wwe/pat-mcafee-taking-show-to-espn-wwe-future-still-unknown

 

[Deezy]

Pat on ESPN defending the shield and shilling their bullshit.

 

[Daddy Dom]

Good for pat

 

[Chris]

Pat McAfee says his relationship with WWE is stronger than ever.

Aside from appearances at The Royal Rumble and WrestleMania 39, McAfee has been gone from the company since leaving for ESPN College Gameday last September.

During a recent appearance on the SI Media podcast, McAfee told host Jimmy Traina that he's still in contact with WWE executives and they are working on his potential return.

McAfee said:

Myself, Michael Cole, Nick Khan, Kevin Dunn, Hunter Hearst Helmsley, Vincent Kennedy McMahon, we're all still very much in contact with each other.

McAfee continued to say that both Khan and McMahon gave him advice when he was negotiating his new deal with ESPN.

He continued:

My relationship with the WWE, I don't want to say stronger than it's ever been, but actually stronger than it's ever been and we are all very much talking about how I get back in the Universe because I love it.
We talked about this earlier, I love it, I think I'm good at it, I think I'm supposed to be in there, I understand why people are doing things, I think that's why commentating was a good spot for me alongside Michael Cole, the greatest of all time.
Getting to get stunned by "Stone Cold" Steve Austin. I lived out dream after dream after dream over there, I love that place, our relationship is very strong.
We're working, we're all trying to figure it out.

McAfee announced last month that he's signed a deal to bring The Pat McAfee Show to ESPN. Beginning this fall, his show will air on ESPN's cable channels, YouTube channel, and ESPN+.

The NY Post reported that McAfee's deal with the network is for five years and $85 million. When reached for comment, McAfee would neither confirm nor deny those numbers, saying:

“Interesting number,” McAfee told NY Post over direct messages on Twitter. “I don’t talk about the business side of it all, the actual numbers and such.”

https://www.f4wonline.com/news/wwe/pat-mcafee-provides-update-on-wwe-return

 

[#Waddles]

He's pretty much done with WWE altogether.

 

[Deezy]

Vince McMahon and Nick Khan advised him with negotiations, so they actually told him to leave $120 mil for $85 mil? Makes me wonder what's going on with Fanduel.