They’re still in the early stages of their marriage, but ESPN and Pat McAfee are all in on their partnership. And that makes an ESPYS appearance seem inevitable.
After the McAfee deal was unveiled at Disney’s upfront presentation in May, the podcast host will now make his first official significant public appearance as an ESPN employee at the ESPYS this week. During his Monday afternoon show, McAfee teased his ESPYS appearance and made it sound like he might be tasked with the event’s opening monologue.
I do believe I’m gonna have a microphone at The ESPYS 👀👀 #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/Gr4QmaZTih
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) July 10, 2023
“I do believe I’m going to have a microphone at the ESPYS,” McAfee said. “Wednesday night, the ESPYS. I believe I’ll have a microphone. I do believe.”
McAfee was reluctant to divulge too much information after being asked whether he would have the microphone for a long time. “I don’t know,” McAfee said. “I think it’s gonna be pretty early in the program. I think it’s gonna be good. Got a couple days’ notice. Feel real good where we’re at right now. Got a couple days to kinda piece some things together. I will have a microphone on Wednesday night at the ESPYS and I’m honored for that. I’m pumped for that. I’m thankful for that. And I can’t wait for that.”
Typically, the ESPYS host is revealed in advance and gets tasked with the monologue. But this year, there will be no host of The ESPY Awards amid the ongoing Writers Guild of America strike in Hollywood. Even without a host, the show still needs a monologue, and that’s where McAfee might step in.
If McAfee was just going to be presenting an award, he probably wouldn’t be teasing his appearance. McAfee, who has done stand-up comedy before, noted that he expects to get the microphone early at the ESPYS and hinted that he was still in the middle of the planning process for his appearance. All of this points to McAfee filling the void of a host during the show’s opening segment.
