Pat McAfee Claps Back After Being Blamed for ESPN Layoffs

Pat McAfee responded Tuesday to widespread criticism following the latest wave of layoffs at ESPN.

Many online blamed McAfee and his large contract for the departures of several high-profile figures at the network.

McAfee acknowledged that narrative on his show but said he hates seeing good people lose their jobs and that he had nothing to do with those decisions.

“That is the narrative and I am certainly taking it on the shins,” McAfee said Tuesday. “The boys and I are very proud of the work that we have done. We hate any time this happens. Obviously, this is terrible. We don’t like that. But we are very honored that we are still partnering with ESPN and Disney for the good of sport and for the future.”

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He added that this is not the first time his show has been blamed for network layoffs. “The first time we licensed the show through ESPN, one of these happened, we got blamed for it all,” McAfee said.

He continued, “I feel like you don’t fully understand budgets and where things are coming from. This time we’re getting blamed as well, which I guess I can understand, but there’s billions and billions of dollars in these companies. Hard decisions have to get made, and we don’t like any of them, and we hope we’re an asset to the company going forward.”

Last month, reports stated that McAfee agreed to a new contract with ESPN worth roughly $60 million per year.

Observers noted that the combined salaries of those let go did not approach that figure, leading critics to target McAfee after the latest layoffs.

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McAfee said there is not much he can do to change minds, stressing that he will continue doing his show and emphasizing that he plays no part in the network’s staffing decisions.

The wave of layoffs at ESPN has included prominent names, with Ryan Clark’s departure drawing notable attention.

Clark, who joined ESPN in 2015 after playing safety in the NFL, learned of his dismissal while on air with “NFL Live,” according to reports.

Stephen A. Smith voiced his frustration with Clark’s termination, describing Clark as “the best NFL analyst in America” and saying, “I can’t even tell y’all how much that hurt. I’m gonna miss him. I’m not happy with this decision. The bosses know I’m not happy. I made this very clear.”

Reports suggested that ESPN’s cost-cutting efforts could involve additional departures in the coming days, with multiple on-air figures expected to be affected.

Some reports indicated that NFL Insider Tom Pelissero could be among the next to leave ESPN.

It was also reported that ESPN could turn to Pro Football Hall of Famer Kurt Warner to fill Clark’s former role on “Monday Night Football.”

OutKick’s Bobby Burack reported that Warner, now 55, is a candidate for the position.

Warner, a two-time NFL MVP and one-time Super Bowl MVP who retired in 2010, currently serves as the lead radio analyst on “Monday Night Football.”

According to Burack, Warner could continue in that capacity while also contributing to ESPN’s television pregame programming before “Monday Night Football.”

Reports described ongoing “musical chairs” involving several ESPN on-air personalities as the network carries out its cost-cutting measures.

McAfee maintained in his remarks that he and his team remain “honored” to work with ESPN and Disney and reiterated that they “hope to be an asset to the company going forward.”

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