After two years on the ESPN staple, McAfee hit free agency this offseason after his contract with the network expired.

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Pat McAfee confirmed that he will be returning to ESPN’s College Gameday in 2024Credit: ESPN

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McAfee first joined the ESPN staple in 2022Credit: Getty
However, with the 2024 season nearing, McAfee announced on Wednesday that he is “all the way back.”

In a post on X, McAfee shared a highlight reel with clips from his time on GameDay, accompanied by a voiceover explaining his situation.

“When my contract came up, after living a dream alongside that crew that is just as talented off camera as they are on camera, I thought long and hard,” he explained.

“Am I the right person to be doing this incredible gig?

“There are millions and millions of people that would love to be sitting in my seat. Am I the right guy for it? Is this what I want to do?

“And the only thing I kept coming back to is, hell f***ing yeah. I’m lucky. I’m honored. I’m humbled. I’m grateful. And I’m back.”

Later, McAfee elaborated on the process and eventual decision on his daily sports talk show, The Pat McAfee Show.

Broadcast on ESPN and YouTube, the former All-Pro punter admitted that “some drama” bed begun to linger regarding his future on the show.

McAfee explained how discussions between himself, ESPN president of content Burke Magnus, and chairman Jimmy Pitaro had been ongoing when “some lawyer at ESPN tried to be a super-genius.”

“I Closed Sicilianed him. I ended up being a free agent, and it was a real moment of looking in the mirror and saying, ‘Am I the right person for this job?'”

Moreover, McAfee also admitted how much of a toll a survey published by The Athletic in October 2023, which claimed 48.9 percent of its participants did not like him on GameDay took on him.

“For those people to have a terrible morning because of my existence, was certainly something that weighed very heavy on this here dumbass sports dude’s heart,” he noted.

What’s more, there was also the question of whether or not McAfee wanted to enjoy more time at home with his wife Samantha and their 1-year-old daughter Mackenzie Lynn.

But ultimately, McAfee arrived at the conclusion that “I need to do this.”

However, he wasn’t done there, taking one final swipe at the aforementioned ESPN lawyer.

Pat McAfee’s playing days

Pat McAfee enjoyed a hugely successful stint before switching to a career in the media.

The talk show star played punter in the NFL for eight seasons from 2009 to 2016.

He was a seventh round NFL Draft pick in 2009 out of West Virginia and spent his entire career with the Indianapolis Colts.

The ex-punter was named to the Pro Bowl in 2014 and 2016, and he was a first team All-Pro in 2014, as well.

McAfee owns the unique NFL record of the highest career net average punting yards with 41.4 yards while his longest ever punt was 74.

“To that lawyer, you’re a genius, buddy,” McAfee said.

“Caused a lot of s**t. But ultimately, in the end, this stooge in a USA tank top, and if I would’ve had jorts on, could work you every time in that negotiating table. Just remember that.

“To all you journalists that are talking about it, I’d love to sit in a room with you one-on-one, too, and see how it ends up.”

The exact terms of McAfee’s new deal with ESPN for GameDay have not yet been revealed.

McAfee will once again be working alongside Rece Davis, Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard, and Lee Corso.

College coaching legend Nick Saban is also set to join as an analyst this season.

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McAfee will be working alongside Rece Davis, Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard, Lee Corso, and Nick SabanCredit: Getty