Renowned sportscaster Dan Patrick shares his two cents on Pat McAfee paying Aaron Rodgers for appearing on his ESPN show

ESPN signed $85 million worth contract with Pat McAfee.

Renowned sportscaster Dan Patrick shares his two cents on Pat McAfee paying Aaron Rodgers for appearing on his ESPN show

Dan Patrick and Pat McAfee (Via Sportings News/Fox)

Even before joining ESPN, Pat McAfee was a big name, and it grew only wider with ESPN. And by ‘big name‘ it means recognition, just like how a recent article in the New York Post recognized McAfee, further revealing that he has been paying NFL player Aaron Rodger for every interview weekly.

During the latest episode of Jimmy Traina’s Sports Illustrated Media Podcast, the radio legend Dan Patrick was asked about his thoughts on the recent shock over McAfee still paying Rodgers to be a weekly guest on his show. 

There are a lot of local radio shows that do this. A lot of big-time radio shows who pay people money to show up. Are you a journalist or not? And Pat’s not a journalist, he’s an entertainer.
Patrick said on Jimmy Traina’s Sports Illustrated Media Podcast
YouTube video

Patrick explained that journalism isn’t a money-oriented career. A person just doing journalism can’t make enough; that’s why he has to be an entertainer. The former ESPN stalwart said:

FS Video
Whatever Pat’s approach is to entertainment and you want to pay somebody to come on, fine. I’m not tuning in for journalism with Pat. I’m tuning in for entertainment. And if he wants to have Aaron Rodgers on and Aaron Rodgers wants to say whatever he wants to say, that’s Pat’s show and Pat’s audience, and ESPN has to answer for that.

There have been several criticisms of Rodgers’s appearance with McAfee that ESPN may not have liked as well. However, it counts for Pat’s show and his audience. And despite everything, ESPN has allowed McAfee to have the freedom it needs for a good show, as they signed a contract worth $85 million with him.

There have been several criticisms of Rodgers’s appearance with McAfee that ESPN may not have liked as well. However, it counts for Pat’s show and his audience. And despite everything, ESPN has allowed McAfee to have the freedom it needs for a good show, as they signed a contract worth $85 million with him.

When Rodgers started making the weekly appearance, McAfee did not have to push hard (like everyone wants him to now), and he laughed with Rodgers about the weird things he said. And even now, it’s not that easy to press them with hard-hitting questions.

How Pat McAfee Deals with the Haters on College GameDay

As McAfee started making appearances on ESPN’s College GameDay, he became one of the most polarizing faces in the media. However, not everyone likes Pat there, according to a survey by The Athletic, around 48.9% of the audience do not like McAfee on the show.

Aaron Rodgers
Aaron Rodgers on Pat McAfee show (Via NFL.com)

Though the broadcasters know the facts surrounding this survey, they prefer not to take these things seriously. 

I’ve never been friends with a human that reads The Athletic so I’m not 100% sure what style of human these 3100 folks are.
Pat McAfee wrote on X

McAfee also admitted that he does not commit to long-term programs because of the people who do not like him. He shared that he has heard the haters and everything they have said about him. He further added: 

It's one of the biggest reasons why I have not resigned a contract with the legendary show. I’m not right for some crowds and the ‘distinguished’ College Football folks are definitely one of those.

After spending seven NFL seasons with the Indianapolis Colts as a punter, Pat has finally joined the program and ESPN this year in order to start his own show.

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