WWE’s annual Royal Rumble event has come to be known for shocking returns.
And it didn’t take long for the first surprise of Saturday’s show, with Pat McAfee making his surprise return to the sports entertainment giant to serve as a guest commentator.
Welcome back, Pat!@PatMcAfeeShow is here at #RoyalRumble! pic.twitter.com/T5Wr2UH8de
— WWE (@WWE) January 28, 2024
While the NFL punter-turned-media mogul has come to be known for his daily show, The Pat McAfee Show, he also has an extensive track record with WWE.
After appearing as a guest commentator on shows for WWE’s developmental brand, NXT, McAfee signed a formal multiyear contract with the company in 2018. As a part of the deal, he hosted watch-alongs and continued to work as an occasional commentator. In 2020, he engaged in a feud with wrestler Adam Cole, which ultimately led to the West Virginia product’s heavily praised debut match.
In 2021, McAfee was named the color commentator on WWE’s weekly SmackDown show on Fox and sporadically took part in matches, including a pair of matches at WrestleMania 38 (including one against then-WWE chairman Vince McMahon, which was named the Wrestling Observer Newsletter‘s worst match of 2022).
In September 2022 — just months after signing an extension with WWE — McAfee announced that he would be taking a hiatus from SmackDown to focus on his work on ESPN’s College GameDay. While he has yet to return to WWE in a full-time capacity, he has made multiple appearances, including at last year’s Royal Rumble, in which he also served as a guest commentator.
WWE has also maintained a regular presence on The Pat McAfee Show, particularly following the show’s move to ESPN last fall. This past week, WWE president Nick Khan joined McAfee to discuss the announcement of WWE’s rights deal with Netflix for WWE Raw, while Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson was a guest last fall ahead during a trip to Boulder for Colorado’s matchup with Colorado State.
[WWE]
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.