Sports fans are taking their frustration out on ESPN and their decision to hand Pat McAfee a lucrative contract following massive talent layoffs.
On Friday, ESPN began cutting a long list of its top on-air talents. This included the network’s 27-year veteran and reporter, Suzy Kolby, and other prominent names like Jalen Rose, Todd McShay, Keyshawn Johnson, Steve Young, Matt Hasselbeck and Max Kellerman.
Back in February, Disney CEO Bob Iger warned that they’d be cutting 7,000 jobs as a way to save billions of dollars. Despite that, ESPN was happy to hand popular sports media personality Pat McAfee a five-year deal worth $85 million.
Needless to say, fans on Twitter didn’t hold back in voicing their disappointment and anger with ESPN and McAfee.
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McAfee was a punter for the Indianapolis Colts from 2009 to 2016. He announced his retirement in 2017, citing knee injuries. McAfee began his sports media career by joining Barstool Sports, where he stayed until Aug. 2018.
In 2021, the former Pro Bowler and the FanDuel sportsbook agreed to a lucrative four-year contract worth $120 million that allowed him to run “The Pat McAfee Show”. McAfee opted out of his deal earlier this year so that he could join ESPN.
Aside from running his own show, McAfee has also worked on FOX Sports’ WWE “SmackDown” program as a color commentator and occasional wrestler.
