Age, Biography, and Wiki
Pat McAfee was born on May 2, 1987, which makes him 38 years old as of 2025. He is an American sports personality known for his multifaceted career, starting as a professional football player and transitioning into sports media and entertainment.
| Occupation | Football Players |
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| Date of Birth | 2 May 1987 |
| Age | 38 Years |
| Birth Place | N/A |
| Horoscope | Taurus |
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Height, Weight & Measurements
While specific measurements are not frequently updated, Pat McAfee stands out for his athletic build, which he maintained during his football career and has continued to showcase in his sports media roles.
Upon departing from Barstool Sports in 2018, McAfee incorporated a small business, Pat McAfee Inc. (PMI), from his original office in Indianapolis. PMI continued to operate McAfee's charity, The Pat McAfee Foundation, and began selling merchandise. At first, PMI produced four podcasts, The Pat McAfee Show 2.0, That's Hockey Talk, Heartland Radio 2.0, and Good Bettor Bets. The former two are still in operation as of 2021, with The Pat McAfee Show 2.0 re-running clips from his daily show on Sirius XM, while That's Hockey Talk was originally co-hosted by former NFL center A. Q. Shipley, but Shipley was replaced by former NHL player Mike Rupp in 2021. Heartland Radio 2.0 evolved into The Pod after the departure of former host, Todd McComas, while PMI's gambling podcast, Good Bettor Bets, re-branded into Hammer Dahn with the addition of former NFL general manager Michael Lombardi as a guest co-host. 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 DAZN and Westwood One. 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). They parted ways in August 2020 due to McAfee's disdain for FCC regulations on terrestrial radio.
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Dating & Relationship Status
Pat McAfee is married to his wife, Samantha Lerner. The couple has been together since 2019 and got married in 2020.
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. During the off-season in 2019, McAfee worked out with the Chicago Bears as a placekicker, but his knee swelled up soon afterwards, and the position was eventually taken by Eddy Piñeiro.
McAfee became engaged to his girlfriend, Samantha Ludy, in February 2019. The two were married August 1, 2020, at Coxhall Gardens in Carmel, Indiana, with Bob Kevoian from the Bob & Tom Show officiating. The couple welcomed their first child, a daughter, on May 4, 2023.
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Net Worth and Salary
As of 2025, Pat McAfee's net worth is estimated to be around $60 million. He earns approximately $17 million annually from his various ventures, including broadcasting contracts, podcasting, WWE appearances, and endorsements with companies like FanDuel and DraftKings. His wealth is a testament to his successful transition from being a former NFL punter to becoming a prominent figure in sports media and entertainment.
McAfee served as a guest commentator for WWE's NXT TakeOver events in 2018, before signing a contract with the promotion in February 2019. During 2020, he feuded with Adam Cole, making his WWE NXT in-ring debut at TakeOver XXX in a loss to Cole. He served as a color commentator for major pay-per-views and SmackDown on numerous occasions and stints throughout the 2020s, only to take hiatuses to focus on his work at College GameDay from late summer to mid-late winter the next year. McAfee returned to the WWE on December 14, 2024, to call Saturday Night's Main Event with Michael Cole and Jesse Ventura in the Main Event and partnered with Cole again for commentary on Raw on Netflix in 2025.
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, NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn 4 and NXT TakeOver: WarGames. In December, it was reported that he had formally signed a multi-year contract with WWE, and officially signed the contract in February 2019. He then began hosting live watch-along of WWE's pay-per-views on YouTube, beginning with Fastlane, alongside a number of WWE wrestlers. In the buildup to WrestleMania, McAfee, his crew and various special guests travelled venue to venue in an RV, that his friend Zito got stuck under an awning at MetLife Stadium, which was filmed for Pat McAfee's Road to WrestleMania. Backstage at the event, McAfee got into an argument with Michael Cole, when Cole had criticized 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.
Career, Business, and Investments
- NFL Career: McAfee played as a punter for the Indianapolis Colts in the NFL for eight seasons. His football career laid the foundation for his subsequent success.
- Sports Media: He hosts "The Pat McAfee Show," which airs on ESPN and has become a staple in sports podcasting. McAfee also works as a commentator for WWE, further expanding his influence in sports media.
- Podcasting and Hosting: Beyond "The Pat McAfee Show," he has developed other podcasts under his company, Pat McAfee Inc., diversifying his media presence.
- Business Ventures: McAfee has invested in multiple companies and owns various properties, contributing to his financial success.
- Endorsements: He has partnerships with prominent brands such as FanDuel, DraftKings, and Lululemon, enhancing his brand value across different sectors.
McAfee was a placekicker for the West Virginia Mountaineers. He was selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL draft. He played in Super Bowl XLIV in his rookie year, where the Colts lost against the New Orleans Saints. McAfee made two Pro Bowls, and he was an All-Pro in 2014, during his eight-year career in the National Football League (NFL).
McAfee earned the starting job at West Virginia as a freshman where he majored in communications. He was 11-for-18 as a freshman on field goals, and had 70 kickoffs for the season, with 20 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.
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.
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. He was named a finalist for the Ray Guy Award losing out to Matt Fodge.
McAfee was selected in the seventh round with the 222nd overall pick in 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 was part of the Indianapolis team that won the AFC South, the AFC Championship, and reached Super Bowl XLIV. McAfee kicked off the game and handled kickoff and punt duties in the 31–17 loss to the New Orleans Saints. As a result of a successful 2009 season, he was named to the 2009 NFL All-Rookie Team.
In Week 3 of the 2015 season, McAfee earned AFC Special Teams Player of the Week against the Tennessee Titans. During this season he nearly entered a game as emergency quarterback after all three of the team's three listed quarterbacks on the team came down with injuries; however, he never officially took the field. McAfee held the role of emergency quarterback at the Colts throughout his tenure with the team, and was one of only four punters in the NFL to hold the role near the end of his career. He was also called on to throw the football during special plays involving a fake punt. On December 20, 2016, McAfee was named to his second Pro Bowl.
Following his retirement, McAfee became a football analyst and a host of sports talk shows. After starting his own talk show, The Pat McAfee Show, he grew to become one of the most popular figures in the sports media industry, eventually earning an eight figure deal with ESPN.
During his final season with the Colts, McAfee began to perform stand up comic routines about his time in the NFL. 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.
McAfee is a co-host on the sports gambling podcast Hammer Dahn, which is produced by his business, Pat McAfee Inc. He makes occasional appearances on PMI's other podcasts, The Pod and That's Hockey Talk.
Social Network
Pat McAfee is highly active on social media platforms, using them to engage with fans and promote his shows and business ventures. His presence on platforms like Twitter and Instagram helps maintain his public image and connect with his audience.
Since retiring from football in February 2017, McAfee has been a football analyst. 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. In addition, he makes regular appearances for Get Up!. He currently licenses The Pat McAfee Show to the ESPN network, which then simulcasts the show on ESPN+ and is also broadcast on YouTube.
In September 2020, The Pat McAfee Show moved to Sirius XM's Mad Dog Sports Radio from 12 to 3 pm on weekdays. The show is also broadcast live on YouTube. Former NFL linebacker, and consistent collaborator, A. J. Hawk co-hosts the second and third hours of the show with McAfee. McAfee's former teammate Darius Butler co-hosts the show on Fridays when it is broadcast from Tampa, Florida. During the NFL season, McAfee frequently hosts New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers on his program. Sirius XM stopped airing the show in August 2022.
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. The news came after McAfee had auditioned for ESPN's Monday Night Football after Jason Witten's return to the Cowboys, though ESPN decided to retain its booth as is. In the same year, McAfee began making regular appearances on Get Up! and College GameDay, after appearing on the latter show as a celebrity guest picker.
In May 2023, ESPN announced that The Pat McAfee Show would move to its platforms, including ESPN television, ESPN+, and YouTube under a multi-year deal; McAfee stated that moving to ESPN would give him better access to "production assets, league rights capabilities, and access to everything in the sports world". On August 17, 2023, it was announced that The Pat McAfee Show would be making its debut on ESPN, ESPN+ and YouTube on September 7, 2023, the same day as the 2023 NFL season opener. Although the exact dollar amount of his deal with ESPN was not publicly disclosed, it has been reported to be over eight figures.
Education
Details about Pat McAfee's educational background are not as prominent as his professional achievements, but his focus on sports and media has clearly defined his career trajectory.
In summary, Pat McAfee's journey from football to becoming a successful sports media personality is a testament to his adaptability and entrepreneurial spirit. His net worth and influence continue to grow as he expands his reach in sports, entertainment, and business.
Patrick Justin McAfee (born May 2, 1987) is an American sports analyst, color commentator, and former professional football punter and kickoff specialist. He is an analyst on College GameDay and the host of the sports talk show The Pat McAfee Show on ESPN, and is signed to WWE as the color commentator for Raw while also being an occasional wrestler.
He attended Plum High School where he played varsity soccer, volleyball and football. He received collegiate interest for each sport. He was a national Punt, Pass, and Kick champion by the time he was a sophomore in high school. During his senior year in high school, using $1,400 that he won at an illegal poker game, he traveled to Miami to participate in a national field goal competition. 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 in order to make it. He was then approached by Tony Gibson, West Virginia's recruiting coordinator, who offered him a scholarship.
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. He was not invited to the NFL Combine. He had team workouts as a kicker with the Indianapolis Colts, Dallas Cowboys and New England Patriots.
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.
In September 2022, it was announced that McAfee would be returning to ESPN. He serves as a full-time analyst on College Gameday. He will serve as an analyst for ESPN's coverage of the Rose Bowl, the College Football Playoff, the Super Bowl and Pro Bowl. McAfee is also a part of Peyton Manning's Omaha Productions college football alternate telecasts on ESPN2. He has appeared as a guest twice on Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli.
On April 1, 2025, it was reported that his amplification of a false rumor about a student at the University of Mississippi had sparked harassment and bullying. McAfee posted a clip of the discussion on X, captioned "What's going on at Ole Miss".
On April 16, 2021, WWE announced that McAfee had been moved to the SmackDown brand, serving as color commentator alongside Michael Cole. On March 3, 2022, on The Pat McAfee Show, McAfee would interview Vince McMahon, in which McMahon would offer McAfee a match at WrestleMania. At WrestleMania 38, McAfee would defeat Theory, before challenging Vince McMahon to an impromptu match straight after, which McMahon accepted and won. Following that match, Theory and McMahon would continue to attack McAfee until Stone Cold Steve Austin would interrupt and give all three of them a Stone Cold Stunner. His next on-screen feud was with Baron Corbin, defeating him at SummerSlam. WWE announced on September 7 that McAfee was taking a hiatus from working for WWE for the foreseeable future as he is set to join ESPN's College GameDay, and will return once it has ended.
On January 27, 2024, McAfee once again returned at Royal Rumble as a surprise guest commentator and surprise entrant at #22 in the men's Royal Rumble match. McAfee quickly exited the ring and eliminated himself. McAfee would later claim that he was unaware ahead of the event that he would be a participant in the men's Royal Rumble match. Two days later, McAfee made his full-time return to WWE on Raw as part of the new commentary team with Michael Cole. McAfee was announced as downloadable content for WWE 2K24. On August 19, he once again took a hiatus from WWE to return to College GameDay.
On October 20, 2010, McAfee was arrested and charged with public intoxication, a Class B misdemeanor. McAfee was found shirtless and wet, and alleged to have swum in a canal in Broad Ripple, a popular nightclub area in Indianapolis, 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. The Colts later issued a one-game suspension to McAfee for his actions. 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."
In 2020, McAfee donated $200,000 to the Barstool Fund, a charity started by Dave Portnoy to provide relief to small businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, he donated over $6 million to various causes, including sports teams at his hometown high school Plum, the children's hospital at West Virginia University, and a football program for under-privileged youth run by former teammate Robert Mathis.
