{"id":2776,"date":"2026-07-22T16:45:07","date_gmt":"2026-07-22T16:45:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/media\/?p=2776"},"modified":"2026-07-22T16:57:11","modified_gmt":"2026-07-22T16:57:11","slug":"espn-pat-mcafee-lay-offs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/media\/sports-media\/espn-pat-mcafee-lay-offs\/","title":{"rendered":"ESPN: Pat McAfee claps back at fans blaming him for latest round of lay-offs"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ever since Monday morning, ESPN<\/a> has been the talk of the sports media world. Initially, the world wide leader in sports made waves when it was revealed that they fired NFL analyst Ryan Clark<\/a>. What was even more controversial was the fact that they fired him mid-show.<\/p>\n

As was reported then, even more cuts came on Tuesday. Popular media personalities such as Karl Ravech, who had worked for ESPN since 1993 (33 years), and NFL insider Tom Pelissero were fired.<\/p>\n

Of course, many fans were dismayed that some of their favorite reporters were let go. In their anger, they targeted Pat McAfee, who is rumored to be getting a massive eight-figure extension soon.<\/p>\n

Pat McAfee claps back at fans blaming him for ESPN lay-offs<\/h2>\n
\"Report:
Pat McAfee helps to kick off the Pro Football Hall of Fame Festival Fan Fest with a live broadcast outside the Pro Football Hall of Fame. July 31, 2025.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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According to many rumors online, McAfee is going to sign a contract that will pay him $60 million a year. Stephen A. Smith, another colorful and polarizing ESPN figure, is believed to make $20 million a year.<\/p>\n

Many fans, therefore, blamed them, and McAfee in particular, for numerous others being fired. During his show yesterday, the former Indianapolis Colts punter clapped back.<\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>We hate any time this happens<\/span>,\u201d McAfee said, via Pro Football Talk<\/i><\/a><\/span>. \u201cObviously this is terrible. We don\u2019t like that. But we are very honored that we are still partnered with ESPN and Disney for the good of sport and the future.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe first time we licensed the show through ESPN, one of these happened, we got blamed,\u201d he said. \u201cOK, OK. Thank you. I feel like you don\u2019t fully understand budgets and where things are coming from, but I do appreciate that. This time, we\u2019re getting blamed as well. Which I guess I can understand, but I mean, there\u2019s billions and billions of dollars in these companies, and hard decisions have to get made. And we don\u2019t like any of them, and we hope we\u2019re an asset to the company going forward.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Obviously, McAfee acknowledges that he understands where fans are coming from. At the same time, though, he also says that he did not ask for cuts to be made.<\/p>\n

$60 million annually is a great amount of money, more than McAfee ever made in his professional football career.<\/p>\n

It is worth noting, though, that there is one specific thing that separates McAfee from many other popular sports media personalities: he owns his own content. If ESPN were to ever cut ties with him, he would have a plethora of other networks bidding for the opportunity to broadcast his show.<\/p>\n

He is not out there actively trying to get other media members fired. However, he also knows his worth, and if the Disney corporation was not interested in paying him, another company would.<\/p>\n

More Sports Media News<\/a> from Last Word on Sports<\/h2>\n

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