Sports analyst Pat McAfee may be stepping out of ESPN and will be replaced by Rich Eisen—at least, this is what Jason Whitlock thinks of the matter.
In one of the recent episodes of “Fearless,” Jason Whitlock and guest host Steve Kim got honest on what they think the future of Pat McAfee would look like, following the analyst’s cryptic post on social media hinting at a new chapter.
I’ve never thought that was a perfect fit,” Kim said. “McAfee and ESPN, I really don’t. And I don’t think he’s ever fully assimilated into that whole culture. And wherever he goes, he will find a very soft, lucrative spot to land. He’s gonna be good.”
“I don’t think he’s ever been fully comfortable at ESPN, and he may be looking to basically be back to being independent or a little bit less confined or not have as many constraints on what he says on a daily basis.”
For Jason Whitlock, the idea of Pat McAfee departing from ESPN and going full independent
“So maybe he gets to go independent with a Spotify or someplace else, or Netflix or Amazon. Who knows? Some sort of mega deal where he doesn’t have he can remove himself from all the Stephen A. Smith and racial blowback that I think goes on more behind the scenes than what we see in public.”
“I think that post, and ESPN rehiring Rich Eisen, and attempting to hire Colin Cowherd, it sure seems to me like Pat McAfee is on his way out at ESPN, and I think on his way to bigger and more independent things.”
Pat McAfee Posts Cryptic Message on Social Media
Over at his X profile, Pat McAfee posted a cryptic message that hinted a lot about new beginnings and the closing of chapters. While nothing specific was mentioned, fans were quick to theorize that this could mean he may be stepping away from his role at ESPN.
“Life’s a book, each day being a page leading to the next,” he said in his post. “Phases of life come and go like chapters.. not every character/job/idea has to appear in every chapter. Some things are perfect for the story when it’s needed.. and then disappear as just a fond memory. A pivotal influence to get from one era to the next…”
“Don’t be scared to end a chapter and start anew.. you’re gonna have to do it eventually anyways.”
Life’s a book… each day being a page leading to the next.. phases of life come and go like chapters.. not every character/job/idea has to appear in every chapter. Some things are perfect for the story when it’s needed.. and then disappear as just a fond memory. A pivotal…
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) May 12, 2025
Pat McAfee joined ESPN in 2023, bringing his popular sports talk show, The Pat McAfee Show, to the network. His show airs on ESPN, ESPN+, and YouTube, covering NFL, college football, WWE, and other major sports topics.
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