ESPN Exec Mike Foss: Pat McAfee ‘Might Be a Journalist At Heart’
Foss said he had “absolutely nothing” to say to McAfee’s critics.
ESPN executive vice president Mike Foss praised Pat McAfee, describing him as a "generational" talent and suggesting that McAfee might have a "journalist at heart." At the Front Office Sports Tuned In summit in New York, Foss highlighted McAfee's ability to build a network of contacts, granting him access that many others lack.
When questioned about critics questioning McAfee's antics on College GameDay, Foss remained firm. He stated that he had "absolutely nothing" to say in response to these critics.
Foss joined ESPN in 2017 after working at Fox Sports and USA Today. In May, he was promoted to the role of Executive Vice President, Executive Editor, Sports News and Entertainment, succeeding the retiring Dave Roberts. Foss also mentioned the return of McAfee's popular field goal kicking contest, asserting that he doesn't believe the contest would have been at risk.
McAfee, a full-time analyst on College GameDay since 2022, joined the show after his podcast, The Pat McAfee Show, gained significant popularity. ESPN began licensing the podcast in 2023. College GameDay has recently set new viewership records, averaging 2.8 million viewers at the midpoint of the 2026 college football season, setting the stage for a potentially record-breaking year.
Addressing the idea of McAfee joining the Monday Night Football broadcast, Foss clarified that the job was not currently available due to the presence of Joe Buck and Troy Aikman. However, he acknowledged McAfee's growing star power, noting his upcoming Super Bowl alt-cast as evidence. Foss concluded by emphasizing that McAfee has the freedom to make his own decisions about his career, and he would not be surprised if McAfee pursued full-time commentating on football games.
Written by urgent.news from Front Office Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
