Yesterday, we learned that Pat McAfee will join ESPN’s ”College GameDay” show in the United States every Saturday morning. A news that was not to affect his role in WWE initially, but eventually he retired from his role as a WWE commentator.
Indeed, Pat McAfee announced on his ”Pat McAfee Show” that he wanted to make the trip every Friday night from Friday to Saturday to do SmackDown and the ESPN show, but WWE refused. McAfee explained that he spoke with Triple H and he refused to have McAfee travel between cities every week for SmackDown in the name of his health and his family. He also specifies that he can return at the appropriate time when he wants, so one can imagine that his WWE contract is frozen or canceled in the meantime.
Triple H commented on the news on social media explaining that McAfee had an awesome opportunity with ESPN and WWE didn’t want to stand in his way. He adds :
“Pat will remain a member of the WWE Universe and we look forward to his return.”
At this time, no replacement commentator for SmackDown with Michael Cole has been announced by WWE.
Triple H’s message:
.@PatMcAfeeShow approached us about his amazing opportunity with College GameDay. We’d never stand in Pat’s way, as he continues to architect his exceptional career.
Pat will remain a member of the @WWE Universe and we look forward to his return. #UpToSomethingSZN
— Triple H (@TripleH) September 7, 2022
McAfee’s statement:
SmackDAHN will be on hold for a little bit while I do College GameDay.. I’m still VERY much in the WWE family & will still be doing things with WWE#PMSLive pic.twitter.com/bhSpOYg3wW
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) September 7, 2022
Photo credit: WWE