Pat McAfee criticizes University of Utah after ESPN College GameDay visit

Sports commentator Pat McAfee criticized the University of Utah following an ESPN College GameDay broadcast on campus, stating on his show that he felt very uncomfortable during the visit. Fox News and the Daily Mail reported that McAfee pointed to the killing of political activist Charlie Kirk 40 miles away when expressing his concerns about the school. The New York Post reported that the university has issued an apology in response to his public statements. [1][2][3][4][6]

According to the New York Post, McAfee took issue with a social media video posted by student accounts asking students to perform impressions of him, as well as comments made by a student during a kicking contest. The university stated that the social media post missed the mark and offered an apology for drawing his safety concerns, as reported by the New York Post. The outlet added that McAfee vowed not to return to the university. [3][4]

During the broadcast in Utah, McAfee also removed his shirt while referencing a column about him published by The Athletic, according to the Daily Mail. The Daily Mail and Awful Announcing reported that McAfee continued a public feud with The New York Times during the episode. [5][7]

McAfee is an analyst on College GameDay and hosts The Pat McAfee Show on ESPN, having previously worked as a professional football punter and WWE commentator. Political activist Charlie Kirk was assassinated in September 2025 during an outdoor event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, as FTMQ News reported earlier. [10][11][12][13]