Pat McAfee Doesn’t Deny Sending ‘You’re Next’ Text To ESPN Executive

WWE President Nick Khan told viewers of The Pat McAfee Show that McAfee once sent a threatening text message to an ESPN employee — and the show’s host didn’t deny it.

Khan alleged on the Wednesday, December 3, episode that an unnamed executive reached out to McAfee, 38, in an effort to mend fences after another executive’s ouster from the company. The former punter replied, “You’re next,” according to Khan.

“Like the Goldberg sort of ‘You’re next,’” Khan said. “I know people would need more context to fully appreciate that, but I know you know what I’m talking about, and the boys know what I’m talking about.”

McAfee didn’t respond directly to Khan’s comment but gave a chuckle and said, “Yeah.”

Khan did not name who the executive was, but McAfee has made it no secret that he has enemies at ESPN. During a 2024 show, he accused former Head of Event and Studio Production Norby Williamson of trying to sabotage him.

“There are folks actively trying to sabotage us from within ESPN,” he said at the time. “More specifically, I believe Norby Williamson is the guy attempting to sabotage our program.”

His comments came after the New York Post ran a story citing The Pat McAfee Show’s ratings.

“That is seemingly the only human that has information, and then somehow that information gets leaked, and it’s wrong, and then it sets a narrative of what our show is,” McAfee said. “And then are we just going to combat that from a rat every single time?”

He added, “Somebody tried to get ahead of our actual ratings release with wrong numbers 12 hours beforehand. That’s a sabotage attempt, and it’s been happening … from some people who didn’t necessarily love the old addition of The Pat McAfee Show to the ESPN family.”

ESPN let Williamson, 62, go months later but insisted it was not related to McAfee’s comments.

Khan explained in his appearance on The Pat McAfee Show that ESPN employees began reaching out to McAfee after “certain executive changes” in order to gain favor with him, prompting the alleged “you’re next” text.

McAfee’s influence at ESPN and his ability to speak his mind seem to be unique. The network is paying him $85 million over five years to license The Pat McAfee Show, according to Awful Announcing, but the former Indianapolis Colts player still owns his show and YouTube presence, meaning he is not an ESPN employee. With ESPN’s hefty financial commitment and his lack of a traditional employer-employee relationship, McAfee has had no problem insulting or calling out ESPN personalities throughout his show’s run.

In an October appearance on ESPN’s College GameDay, he said that “old white people and old ESPN people” hate him.

“That’s who all the producers are of GameDay too,” McAfee said. “So now — it’s been a fun run. College football is great. OK, cheers. Have a great day.”

Two months earlier, he posted a congratulatory message to ESPN and WWE on their premium live events deal via X. In the post, he called out “the mid level, powerless, bum ass suits at ESPN” who he said “will attempt to muddy this somehow.”