Is Pat McAfee’s ‘anonymous sources’ gripe with Stephen A. Smith?

Pat McAfee wants to ban anonymous sources from sports media and Marcellus Wiley believes that’s a direct shot fired at Stephen A. Smith.

ESPN on ESPN crime has been running rampant in recent months, and while McAfee has certainly been a participant at times, sharing his issue with the concept of journalists using anonymous sources didn’t seem like any sort of intra-group violence.

Wiley, however, thought McAfee was calling out Smith.

“Once again, another shot over the bow,” Wiley claimed on a recent episode of his podcast. “As Pat McAfee is saying, ‘Hey, this is my throne.’ And Stephen A. Smith saying, ‘I’m number one.’ Let’s see how that goes.”

“I’m glad that Pat McAfee shot the shot with levity at Stephen A. Smith. But at the same time, it is real,” Wiley added. “Since he called out Stephen A. without saying his name, let’s talk about it. let’s talk about some of the bigger anonymous sources…I think it’s BS too. I think you gotta say your name.”

Wiley proceeded to cite Smith infamously sharing information from an anonymous source to claim Boston Celtics superstar Jaylen Brown was “not liked” earlier this year. Brown responded by urging Smith to state his source, while the First Take host insisted that’s not how journalism and reporting works.

Last weekend, McAfee joined NFL Network’s NFL GameDay and wished sports journalism, namely in the NFL, would eliminate the use of anonymous sources. Smith’s report on Brown occurred in May.

Is it possible there’s a link between the two events? Technically, sure. But it seems farfetched.

McAfee doesn’t cover the NBA in great detail on his show, to begin with, so it’s hard to imagine Smith’s report about a Boston Celtics guard was top of mind during an appearance on NFL GameDay seven months later. We’re here for the potential drama, but McAfee’s gripe with anonymous sources more likely stems from reports that have been shared about the Aaron Rodgers-led New York Jets this season.

[Marcellus Wiley]