SiriusXM host Katie Nolan has a problem with how Pat McAfee deals with his own success. Specifically, she says the ESPN star can’t handle the smallest of perceived criticism despite his enormous success.
What We Know: Nolan made the comments on her Casuals podcast. McAfee has worked College GameDay since 2022, and his daily show moved to ESPN in 2023. Recently, the University of Utah posted an Instagram video of students mocking McAfee before GameDay went live on campus. Afterward, McAfee blasted the school and referenced the Charlie Kirk shooting, while Utah deleted the video and apologized. While Nolan admits she’s not a fan of McAfee, the balance between his personal feelings dealing with success are at odds with one another.
What They Said: (All comments via Casuals with Katie Nolan):
Katie Nolan can’t play victim when he’s the one winning the most: “He doesn’t have to be for me. He can do whatever. It’s this also needing to be able to do it without anyone saying anything mean ever about anything that he does. When he does things like putting out a country music album that absolutely sucks d**k. Also, has to be on every show. Gets compensated incredibly. He’s making quite a bit of money at a time when sports media is just falling victim to layoff after layoff. The guy is winning in every sense of the word and yet is constantly acting like the world is attacking him baselessly.”
Katie Nolan on Pat McAfee’s reaction to the University of Utah Instagram video: “He [Pat McAfee] acts irresponsibly but then wants everybody to be responsible for his like emotional well-being and to take care of him. I just found it shocking.”
Katie Nolan thought Pat McAfee was better with handling criticism: “I always thought Pat McAfee was leaning into the heel thing. As a wrestling guy, he knows that heat. If you’ve got the stomach for it, there’s people who make their living off of being hated or hate-able… You just have the stomach for it. But Pat McAfee acts like a heel, and then is like, why isn’t everybody being nice to me. It’s not cool.”
What Remains Unclear: So far, it’s unclear whether McAfee will respond to Nolan directly. Furthermore, nobody knows if McAfee will return to Salt Lake City for a future GameDay.
What It Means: McAfee remains one of ESPN’s most visible stars and also a polarizing figure among many media pundits and fans. Still, Nolan’s comments add to a wave of reaction following the Utah episode. Ultimately, her message is simple: big success invites big criticism, and stars must accept both.
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