“Bullshit”: Pat McAfee slams report claiming he withdrew from ESPN’s 2025 NFL Draft Coverage over lack of respect

Pat McAfee dismissed suggestions that he pulled out of hosting his ESPN program at the 2025 NFL Draft out of disrespect. There was a report that former NFL punter McAfee was not interested in covering the event at which incoming rookies are picked, with Front Office Sports indicating this was why he pulled out. But McAfee objected to this characterization and clarified that the report was not a fair representation of his position.

Pat McAfee vehemently argued against a report that he took his ESPN show off the 2025 NFL Draft because he felt disrespected. Per Front Office Sports on Twitter, the ex-NFL punter was reportedly not willing to report on the rookie picks. But McAfee did not take kindly to this rumor, stating emphatically that the story being propagated did not do justice to his reasons or intentions.

"Pat McAfee will not be taking his show to the NFL Draft after being treated with what he says was insufficient respect by "middle managers" at the Scouting Combine,” Front Office wrote on Twitter.
Pat McAfee clarified in a video that Front Office Sports' claims about him were false. He clarified that he had never used the term "insufficient respect" but acknowledged some friction. McAfee stated that the Combine incident did not affect his Draft decision and that he did not want to respond to everything said about him.
"If I was to address every single thing that was being said that was bullsh*t, even though the quotes in the whole show was already out there, I would be spending my entire life addressing bullshit. So that being said, I don't think I've ever said insufficient respect in my life. Now, was there a lack of respect for sure? For sure. The Combine and the Draft, two different events.”

Pat McAfee expressed dissatisfaction with the use of him and his team, the location they planned to set him up at, and the lack of respect he received from people for his Draft show, despite the reported disrespect from a certain group of people.
"Draft was the same thing, because, like, where they wanted to put us, allegedly, how it was going to go, what we're going to have to do, just like flexing power while also showcasing disdain for me and my show and my guys... so we said we're not going to the Draft, but it wasn't directly because the insufficient respect from the Combine, but it is a lack of it on a regular basis from one group of people, just making life harder on everybody."
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