ESPN executive labels Pat McAfee ‘a journalist at heart’ amid recent criticism over coverage

McAfee agreed to a lucrative deal to bring his independent Pat McAfee show to ESPN networks in 2022. His arrival boosted the network's profile and audience massively, leading to his presence on the network growing significantly. Since joining ESPN, McAfee has become a fixture of College GameDay and the network's Monday Night Football coverage, with more McAfee-centric programming in the works. ESPN executive vice president Mike Foss spoke with Front Office Sports in a recent interview, where he was asked about Pat McAfee's growing presence on the network.