Pat McAfee in San Francisco Credit: The Pat McAfee Show
By Sean Keeley on

The NFL world descended on the Bay Area this week as the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks prepare to battle in Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara’s Levi’s Stadium.

While the game itself will be played about 40 miles away, much of the NFL’s activities and media opportunities are being staged in San Francisco, which has been in the eye of a media storm for several years, as many conservative politicians and media outlets have seized on its problems.

Perceptions about homelessness, crime, and public drug usage have turned the city into shorthand for outlets such as Fox News when they want to make a point about what’s wrong with California and, to a larger extent, the Democratic Party.

There’s no denying that San Francisco is dealing with significant issues, many of which were exacerbated by wealth gaps, income inequality, and the pandemic, but in many ways, its issues aren’t so different from those many other cities face. A hyperfocus on specific areas and curated statistics can tell whatever story you want.

That story has resonated with many people across the country, including Pat McAfee. ESPN’s golden son has been broadcasting in San Francisco all week in preparation for the Super Bowl, and he seems to have come to the realization that the city isn’t actually the hellhole many have made it out to be.

On Wednesday, McAfee greeted 49ers great Joe Montana and shared that he was “so surprised” by how much he and everyone else on his show were enjoying San Francisco.

“We were so surprised by what we had been told and expected vs. when we walk through the streets and got here. It’s like, the buildings are beautiful… there are so many hills, there were people running, it was a very active city. It felt like, I’d not known this about San Francisco.”

Montana told McAfee that there’s still a lot of focus on how the city was impacted by the 2008 financial crisis, but “that’s all behind us now, and the city is coming back.” He also praised San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie for the work he’s been doing.

That was fortuitous as Lurie appeared on The Pat McAfee Show on Thursday to offer some real-world conversation about the state of the city and how things have changed. McAfee mentioned he’d gotten plenty of “reports” about issues they might face while in town, but the College GameDay analyst was practically falling over himself to praise his experience while there.

McAfee also added that, by speaking with people who actually live in San Francisco, he learned it’s actually a pretty decent place.

“We talk to local police, we talk to a retired police, we talk to some business people, we talk to other people we encounter here,” said McAfee. “Mayor’s like, ‘Yeah, it wasn’t great.’ Joe Montana, I think everybody’s going to say, it wasn’t great. We weren’t in a good spot, but we all made a decision, ‘We’re not going to do it anymore.’ I think San Francisco is showcasing us. I don’t know about the world. I don’t know how people are going to change their opinions about what’s going on, but it’s a beautiful place.”

On Friday’s show, McAfee invited 49ers star George Kittle onto the program, and once again showered San Francisco with praise while allowing Kittle to explain why he thinks the criticisms don’t meet the city where it’s at.

“How do you feel about representing this city?” asked McAfee. “You’re from Norman, went to Iowa. I’m from Pittsburgh, went to West Virginia, live in Indianapolis. We’ve been told this place is a sh*thole.”

“We’ve been told that for a long time,” added co-host A.J. Hawk.

“This place has been gorgeous. It has been incredible,” added McAfee. “You can feel it’s a football town. Do you feel the same way?”

“I feel like San Francisco, it’s always the butt end of a joke for all these people that want to talk sh*t about it,” said Kittle. “Then you get here and like, ‘Oh, it’s actually a beautiful city with awesome food, great scenery. The weather’s fantastic. Like, awesome vibes, plenty to do. It’s actually a really fun place to be.’ Now, unfortunately, I live an hour south here, so I’m not in San Francisco all the time because our facility is down in Santa Clara. But when I’m up here, I thoroughly enjoy it. It’s a really fun city to be a part of.”

“It is a fun city,” added McAfee.

Some have pointed out that McAfee probably already knew a lot of this since he was in Berkeley last year for GameDay, but you have to give credit where it’s due when someone can use their own eyes and brain to make an informed decision rather than relying on the media lens they’ve been presented with.

Not every media member who came to San Francisco this week is leaving with such good vibes, but kudos to McAfee for using his powerful platform to share an honest view of what he’s seen.

About Sean Keeley

Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.

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