Pat McAfee Criticizes University of Utah Over Social Media Post

ESPN personality Pat McAfee expressed discomfort with the University of Utah after a social media post surfaced before the ‘College GameDay’ broadcast. The post, appearing on the university’s Instagram, asked students to impersonate McAfee and included labels like ‘corny’ and ‘creepy.’ Although the video was removed, the incident left a mark on McAfee’s experience in Salt Lake City.

McAfee, speaking on ‘The Pat McAfee Show,’ described the university’s actions as unsettling, considering their timing just before he addressed a large audience. His remarks highlighted his dismay, saying, ‘The university puts that out, like as I’m about to go out and do an infomercial for the place, and then I’m walking in front of thousands of these people.’

The incident appeared to evoke memories for McAfee of a tragic event involving conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was fatally shot at Utah Valley University, just miles from Salt Lake City. McAfee questioned the appropriateness of amplifying negative sentiments given recent events and referred to it while expressing his discomfort.

The university responded with an apology on Instagram. Their post intended for ‘lighthearted engagement’ missed its goal, according to the statement. The apology took full accountability for the decision and noted outreach to McAfee in an effort to convey appreciation and regret.

Despite these assurances, McAfee expressed skepticism over the posting source, emphasizing, ‘It was the university putting that out. It’s not like a blog. It’s the actual place that we’re at.’

Additional frustration for McAfee stemmed from a student’s remark during the ‘Kicking Is Easy’ contest, questioning why the prize was ‘only $1 million.’ Humor mixed with annoyance in McAfee’s response, ‘It’s my money! Only $1 million. It’s like, all right, I hate this place.’

McAfee later jested he might feign illness if ‘College GameDay’ returns to the campus. Despite these setbacks, he complimented Utah’s football prowess and acknowledged the enthusiastic fan turnout, describing them as ‘a phenomenal GameDay.’