Pat McAfee Felt ‘Unsafe’ After Utah Controversy: FBI Recommended Bulletproof Vest

Pat McAfee has been the star leading College GameDay to viewership records ever since he took over as one of their analysts.

Pat McAfee Felt ‘Unsafe’ After Utah Controversy: FBI Recommended Bulletproof Vest

Pat McAfee felt 'unsafe' at University of Utah (Image via Newsweek/X)

By now, no one doubts that ESPN is moving along with whatever Pat McAfee is willing to do for them. It comes at a time when the network has seemingly pivoted away from rage-bait and social-issues-based commentary to how the former punter draws millions of viewers without any controversy.

It is not as if he is without some controversy of his own. The 39-year-old has had his fair share of ‘questionable’ situations, some of which threatened to derail his burgeoning career as a broadcaster.

However, he seems to understand how to nip problems in the bud better than others, and has done so to avoid things blowing up. On occasion, when he has no way out, McAfee has bowed down and apologized.

After his last College GameDay appearance on the campus grounds of the University of Utah, the Pennsylvania native did not utter anything controversial. But in his first podcast episode after that trip, McAfee said this:

I’ve really enjoyed this college football season. Did not enjoy University of Utah… They put out a video, can you do an impression of Pat McAfee?… It’s an uncomfortable feeling… And then I thought to myself, has anything like really scary happened at like a college gathering in the state of Utah recently?

Pat McAfee said

The former Indianapolis Colt went on to reference Charlie Kirk‘s assassination that, ironically, happened where he was this weekend. He then alluded to the fact that he felt ‘unsafe’ when the University of Utah put out a video of its students mocking him.

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FBI asked Pat McAfee to wear a bulletproof vest at Utah

This was not Pat McAfee‘s first rodeo with the University of Utah. Last season, he was part of College GameDay’s live broadcast on campus grounds when the Utes took on the Cincinnati Bearcats. However, as per Front Office Sports, it may have contributed to what the former punter said this week.

Pat McAfee on College GameDay
Pat McAfee on College GameDay (Image via Ari Meirov/X)

The week after Kirk was shot and killed, the FBI advised McAfee to wear a bulletproof vest, said one source.

Front Office Sports revealed

Even though Charlie Kirk was assassinated in September, the campus may still have been under the FBI’s observation. But it seems they wanted any highly opinionated person, such as McAfee, safe weeks before he arrived on campus.

Now, for the University to post a video of its students mocking the part-time wrestler may have left him with some cause for worry. Thankfully, nothing happened, but the events were enough to leave Pat McAfee feeling uneasy enough to state that he would not want to return to the campus.

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ESPN and University of Utah issue statements after Pat McAfee’s comments

Naturally, as soon as Pat McAfee said those words on his latest podcast episode, alarm bells would ring. The University of Utah took down that student video from its official pages and issued a statement apologizing to the ESPN star.

Our goal during the visit was to create light-hearted engagement regarding Pat being back on campus, but we missed the mark… We take full accountability for that decision. University officials have reached out to Pat to express appreciation and regret.

University of Utah’s statement

The University added that it would want the $60 million-earning broadcaster to return to its campus grounds for further editions of College GameDay. The show is a massive success and has gone back-to-back years at the university after a four-year hiatus.

After ESPN also issued a statement condemning the entire discourse, it might be a while before the network schedules another live program at that campus. After all, its biggest star felt ‘unsafe.’ It is next to impossible to assure someone of their safety after this controversy.

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