Pat McAfee’s lively Friday episode of “The Pat McAfee Show” sparked a range of reactions, but none were as pointed as those from former ESPN college football analyst Ryan Leaf. Leaf took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to share his thoughts, alleging that McAfee is “high 80% of the time on his TV show it’s said!! [sic]” This claim was made in response to a post by quarterback coach Quincy Avery, who criticized McAfee’s wild antics during a live broadcast from Dublin, Ireland.
The episode in question, which aired from J.R. Mahon’s Pub, featured McAfee chugging beers on air—a spectacle that left some viewers entertained and others concerned. Avery expressed his disapproval on X, questioning the appropriateness of such behavior on ESPN. “No one thinks it’s wild someone can get hammered drunk on ESPN & everyone act like it’s cool?” Avery wrote, highlighting the controversial nature of the broadcast.
Leaf quickly chimed in, amplifying the criticism and seeming to take a swipe at the lucrative deal McAfee has with ESPN. His comments suggested a deeper frustration, though the basis of Leaf’s claim about McAfee’s alleged substance use remains unclear. There has been no concrete evidence presented to support Leaf’s assertion, and it appears to be speculative.
However, Leaf’s issues with McAfee go beyond just the Dublin episode. In fact, Leaf has been publicly critical of McAfee since his departure from ESPN earlier this year. Leaf, who was the second overall pick in the 1998 NFL Draft, alleged last week that McAfee and fellow ESPN personality Kirk Herbstreit played a role in his ousting from the network. The tension reportedly stemmed from a disagreement over comments made by McAfee and Herbstreit regarding conference realignment in college football.
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During an appearance on “Outkick Hot Mic,” Leaf recounted how he was informed of his departure from ESPN. According to Leaf, a producer told him the decision came from someone higher up, which led Leaf to believe that McAfee’s influence was at play. “The coordinated producer calls me and I said, ‘Well, you’re not making this decision. Who’s making this decision?’ He said, ‘Well, someone above my pay grade.’ And I said, ‘Well, you need to have someone above your pay grade call me,’” Leaf recalled. “So they did, and by that time I had confirmed with people on why it happened. So when I got them on the phone, I was just like, ‘Yeah, I think this is about right. I think you and I, we don’t have shared values, and so I think this is probably the proper decision.’”
Leaf didn’t stop there. He suggested that McAfee’s $85 million deal with ESPN was a factor in his own departure, implying that the network was pressured to align with McAfee’s vision, even at the cost of other talent. “I get it, I get it. You got $85 million people [McAfee’s contract] scaring you. You got to fall in line. I understand that, on my end of things,” Leaf said.
In that same interview, Leaf didn’t mince words when describing McAfee and Herbstreit, calling them “overly sensitive” and “narcissists.” These comments underscore the deep rift that has developed between Leaf and his former colleagues, particularly McAfee, who has rapidly become one of the most influential figures at ESPN.
As the tension between Leaf and McAfee continues to unfold publicly, it remains to be seen how McAfee will respond—if at all—to the latest round of accusations. For now, the drama serves as a reminder of the high stakes and intense rivalries that can brew behind the scenes in the world of sports media.
