Pat McAfee hurled some loaded accusations against ESPN Friday, calling a senior network executive a “rat” trying to “sabotage” the show’s reputation.
The host of the popular “The Pat McAfee Show” said during Friday’s streaming-only portion of the show that ESPN Head of Event and Studio Production Norby Williamson is trying to hurt the show.
“There are folks actively trying to sabotage us from within ESPN,” McAfee said. “More specifically, I believe Norby Williamson is the guy attempting to sabotage our program.”
The host was upset about a report earlier this week that cited the show’s viewership numbers, which weren’t released until Friday. McAfee claims Williamson leaked that info to the media.
“That is seemingly the only human that has information, and then somehow that information gets leaked and it’s wrong and then it sets a narrative of what our show is,” McAfee said. “And then are we just going to combat that from a rat every single time?”
More: "(Williamson) is seemingly the only human that has information, and then somehow that information gets leaked and it's wrong and then it sets a narrative of what our show is. And then are we just going to combat that from a rat every single time?"https://t.co/ZJqJgk647X
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 5, 2024
The comments closed a bizarre and disastrous week for McAfee’s show. Tuesday, Aaron Rodgers suggested ABC talk-show host Jimmy Kimmel was worried about being included on the infamous Epstein passenger list released Thursday. His name did not appear in those documents.
After Kimmel threatened legal action, McAfee danced around the controversy by saying “Aaron was just trying to talk s***.”
Sports media professionals were baffled by McAfee’s comments, but many were not surprised by his attack on ESPN.
Crazy how the McAfee ESPN thing is going just about how anyone would have reasonably expected the McAfee ESPN thing to go https://t.co/qGGnfXrEGh
— Benjamin Solak (@BenjaminSolak) January 5, 2024
Well well well…😂
— Michelle Beadle (@MichelleDBeadle) January 5, 2024
Unloading the clip on one of your bosses publicly not even a year into the contract is wild af. Also speaks to the privilege at play here. https://t.co/pFI60fSFB2
— Chris Williamson (@CWilliamson44) January 5, 2024
I can relate. https://t.co/57q99SIHHd
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) January 5, 2024
oh boy…mcafee isn’t even gonna last a year there. what is the point of this? https://t.co/VSWGl1cmrk
— Ken LaVicka (so loud) (@KLV1063) January 5, 2024
If I wanted combat from a rat I would simply visit my good friends, the teenage mutant ninja turtles https://t.co/x6pnF6LgOT
— Holly Anderson 🍇 (@HollyAnderson) January 5, 2024
About Arthur Weinstein
Arthur spends his free time traveling around the U.S. to sporting events, state and national parks, and in search of great restaurants off the beaten path.