Pat McAfee invokes Charlie Kirk killing as Utah post sparks 'uncomfortable' 'GameDay' visit
Pat McAfee Calls Out University of Utah After Mock‑Video Posts, Cites Recent Campus Violence
Salt Lake City, Utah — ESPN personality Pat McAfee, a former NFL punter turned broadcaster, said he felt “very, very uncomfortable” before his appearance on Saturday’s College GameDay because the University of Utah posted a mocking video on its Instagram account. The clip, which asked students to impersonate McAfee and labeled him “corny” and “creepy,” has since been taken down.
McAfee, speaking Monday on his own show, said the university’s decision to publish the material just before he walked in front of thousands of fans was especially troubling given the backdrop of a violent incident that occurred about 40 miles south of Salt Lake City in September 2025. That shooting claimed the life of conservative activist Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University, and the family later alleged that school officials had been aware of security risks.
“What the university puts out right before I’m about to do an infomercial for the place—while I’m walking in front of thousands of people—sends the wrong message,” McAfee said. “It’s an uncomfortable feeling, and it makes me wonder if we should be amplifying reasons why people might hate my guts as a university.”
He added, “Has anything like really scary happened at like a college gathering in the state of Utah recently?” before referencing “what happened 40 miles south of Salt Lake City a little over a year ago.” McAfee said the post “set me off a little bit” and left him feeling “not the greatest morning.”
The university responded with an apology posted to its Instagram account. Officials said the goal had been to create “lighthearted engagement” around McAfee’s return but acknowledged that the post “missed the mark.” In the statement, the school took full responsibility for the content and said it had reached out to McAfee to express its regret.
“We sincerely apologize for creating any perception that Pat was unsafe or unwelcome on our campus,” the university wrote. “Nothing could be further from the truth. Pat and the entire College GameDay crew are always welcome here.”
McAfee also grew frustrated during his on‑air “Kicking Is Easy” contest, where a student questioned why the prize was “only $1 million” after a previous week’s contest offered $3 million. “It’s my money! Only $1 million. It’s like, all right, I hate this place. I hate this place,” he remarked.
Despite his displeasure, McAfee praised Utah’s football team and called its student section “incredible.” He thanked the fans who turned out for the broadcast and noted that the university has hosted the pregame show seven times, maintaining a generally positive relationship with ESPN.
The GameDay crew’s visit concluded with Utah’s football team beating Houston 21‑13 on Saturday. The victory added another win to the Utes’ season record.
