Pat McAfee is expanding his role at ESPN this fall with a new assignment on Monday Night Football coverage.
The network announced McAfee will join “Monday Night Countdown” for the 2024 NFL season, according to The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand. McAfee already hosts his daily show on ESPN and serves as a College GameDay analyst.
ESPN recently signed McAfee to a contract extension worth $60 million to $65 million per year. The deal includes expanded NFL responsibilities beyond his existing college football and talk show duties.
McAfee Joins Monday Night Countdown
McAfee will appear on “Monday Night Countdown,” the pregame show that leads into ESPN’s Monday Night Football broadcast. He’ll work alongside host Scott Van Pelt, Jason Kelce, Marcus Spears and Jason McCourty.
The timing positions McAfee for a major role in ESPN’s Super Bowl coverage this February. ESPN is broadcasting the Super Bowl for the first time since 2006.
His Monday night duties won’t affect his other ESPN commitments. McAfee will continue hosting his daily show and appearing on College GameDay throughout the college football season.
ESPN executives see McAfee as a key part of their NFL programming expansion.
McAfee’s Current ESPN Roles
Pat McAfee now handles multiple responsibilities across ESPN’s programming:
- “Monday Night Countdown” analyst (Monday nights)
- “The Pat McAfee Show” host (weekday afternoons)
- “College GameDay” analyst (Saturdays)
- Special event and studio appearances
“The Pat McAfee Show” has been running for nine years total. ESPN picked up the show for live broadcast in 2023 under an $85 million deal.
The show airs weekdays from 12 to 3 p.m. ET from the DraftKings Thunderdome in Lawrence, Indiana. McAfee covers general sports topics and conducts guest interviews during the three-hour program.
McAfee joined College GameDay as a full-time analyst in 2022. He’s become a regular fixture on the show’s Saturday morning college football coverage.
ESPN also uses McAfee for alternative broadcasts on ESPN2. He’s appeared on alt-casts for the College Football Playoff and NBA Finals.
Weekly Schedule Breakdown
McAfee’s expanded role means he’ll be on ESPN programming most days of the week during football season.
His weekly commitments now include:
- Sunday: Off
- Monday: “The Pat McAfee Show” 12-3 p.m. ET, “Monday Night Countdown” 6-8 p.m. ET
- Tuesday: “The Pat McAfee Show” 12-3 p.m. ET
- Wednesday: “The Pat McAfee Show” 12-3 p.m. ET
- Thursday: “The Pat McAfee Show” 12-3 p.m. ET
- Friday: “The Pat McAfee Show” 12-3 p.m. ET
- Saturday: “College GameDay” 9 a.m.-12 p.m. ET
The former NFL punter continues building his media career after retiring from the Indianapolis Colts in 2016. McAfee played eight seasons in the NFL before transitioning to broadcasting and podcasting.
ESPN’s investment in McAfee reflects the network’s strategy to attract younger audiences through personality-driven programming. His show regularly features viral moments and celebrity guests that generate social media buzz.
