The edgy and unpredictable Pat McAfee has made yet another questionable remark on a recent episode of “The Pat McAfee Show.” The former NFL punter addressed Canadians booing the American national anthem during a WWE ‘Elimination Chamber’ event from Toronto, Ontario.
McAfee’s Comments Draw Response From Former ESPN Anchor
McAfee left no room for interpretation when he explained his feelings regarding the Toronto crowd booing his nation’s anthem.
“My entire life, my first reaction when somebody boos the national anthem is, f*** you,” said McAfee. “I’m very thankful that I am from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in the United States of America. I’m very proud that I am from the United States of America.”
McAfee goes on to discuss that whenever the national anthem is disrespected, his first reaction is “to fight.” This comes from experiences where he talks of meeting military members and making appearances on some bases.
The very honest opinion from McAfee drew a response from former ESPN Anchor, Keith Olbermann. In this X post, Olbermann can be seen expressing his distaste for McAfee’s comments.
A lot of us tried to warn the new espn management that the day would come when this idiot would draw them into a permanent political controversy and they could either be subsumed by it, or fire him
That day is today. Fire him. https://t.co/DK2pEE6FNE
— Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) March 3, 2025
Olbermann has worked in both sports and politics over his extended media career. He is recognized mostly due to his former late night show, “Countdown with Keith Olbermann,” that aired from 2003 to 2011. The Cornell alumni also worked with SportsCenter and Fox Sports Net as a co-host and anchor.
The former TV personality’s time with ESPN serves as the main motivation for his disappointment with McAfee’s remarks.
Two-Time Pro Bowl Punter’s Wild Quotes Are Nothing New
Since hanging up the cleats in 2017, McAfee has grown an enormous audience as an analyst, some of whom hate him and some of who love him. The year is 2025, and McAfee is arguably the most well-known analyst in the world. Besides “The Pat McAfee Show”, he also anchors “College Gameday” and makes appearances on other ESPN programs from time to time.
McAfee’s off-kilter comments are not a new thing. Just last year, once again on “The Pat McAfee Show,” he and his co-workers were discussing the WNBA rookie class when he referred to Caitlin Clark as “one white b**** for the Indiana team who is a superstar.”
The nearly decade-long analyst is not shy to say his feelings on any topic in the sports world, nor does he fear using vulgar language when doing so. As McAfee continues to receive backlash for his Canada comments, his future with ESPN has not changed.