Pat McAfee’s status for ESPN’s “College GameDay” is up in the air.
After bringing his polarizing brand of eccentricity to the Saturday morning show for the last two years, McAfee still does not have a contract for ESPN’s weekly college football roadshow for the upcoming season, The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand reported Tuesday.
McAfee, 37, has a separate deal with ESPN that allows the network to air his “Pat McAfee Show” Monday through Friday.
Fans of “College GameDay” — which features Rece Davis, Kirk Herbstreit, Lee Corso, Desmond Howard and now Nick Saban after he retired from Alabama — have been divided over McAfee’s presence on the show.
He responded to a poll in October by The Athletic which revealed 48.9 percent of respondents did not like McAfee on the program.
“I have heard you all very loud and clear since the beginning of my stint with GameDay. It’s one of the biggest reasons why I have not [re-signed] a contract with the legendary show,” McAfee wrote on X at the time. “I’m not right for some crowds and the ‘distinguished’ College Football folks are definitely one of those.”
McAfee, who is also a commentator for WWE’s “Monday Night Raw,” then said in December that he would return to “College GameDay.”
That same month, Herbstreit told McAfee on his show that he would bolt “College GameDay” if McAfee wasn’t on the program anymore.
“If you dare even think of leaving ‘College GameDay,’ I’m leaving with you,” Herbstreit said. “I am. I am. I’m dead serious.”
The 2024 college football season begins on Aug. 24 with “Week 0,” which features Florida State at Georgia Tech.
The “College GameDay” X account announced last month the show will be in College Station for the Notre Dame at Texas A&M primetime game in Week 1 on Aug. 31, opting not to broadcast from the Clemson at Georgia game.