As the 2024 college football season approaches, changes are coming to Pat McAfee’s schedule.
Taking to social media, the host of The Pat McAfee Show confirmed that Monday’s episode of WWE Raw will mark his last time serving as a broadcast analyst for the weekly pro wrestling show “for a while.”
“All right, last Monday Night Raw Monday for a bit,” McAfee said in a video posted to his Instagram story as he sang Post Malone and Jelly Roll’s new song, “Losers.”
“Very bummed out that tonight will be my last trip to that wonderful WWE family for a while. Alright, let’s have a day. I’m bummed out. Football season is starting, which is awesome. But the WWE family is where I’m supposed to be. And I know that, and I hope they do too. Cheers.”
Pat McAfee has announced that tonight’s #WWERaw will be his last WWE appearance for a while due to the CFB and NFL seasons kicking off.
Joe Tessitore will join the RAW announce team on September 2nd. pic.twitter.com/qXVGr2Tzs0
— WrestlePurists (@WrestlePurists) August 19, 2024
McAfee — who has wrestled in multiple matches for WWE in recent years — first began as a broadcast commentator for WWE SmackDown in 2021. After departing to focus on football ahead of the 2022 season as he began his full-time role on ESPN’s College GameDay, the former All-Pro punter made sporadic appearances for WWE before making a surprise return as a full-time commentator for Raw this past January.
With WWE embracing a more free-flowing, sports-like presentation following the departure of former chairman Vince McMahon, McAfee has built an undeniable on-air chemistry with lead play-by-play announcer Michael Cole. He’s also been instrumental in helping cross-promote WWE’s product on ESPN’s airwaves and was even featured as a downloadable character — alongside his Pat McAfee Show producers/co-hosts — in the most recent WWE video game.
While it’s unclear when McAfee will return to WWE, the end of football season coincides with the start of the company’s “road to WrestleMania” in January. McAfee’s departure also comes as ESPN’s Joe Tessitore is set to take over as the lead announcer for Raw on Sept. 2, alongside color commentators Corey Graves and Wade Barrett. Cole, meanwhile will be making the move to SmackDown, with it currently being unknown who he will call the show with in McAfee’s absence.