Busy Guy: Pat McAfee Explains WWE Absence, Hints At Future Return

He has a lot going on. There are all kinds of people who come together to make a wrestling show work with some of them almost never getting in the ring. The commentary team would fit that description as they are rarely the focus of a show but provide a very valuable service. Commentary can go a long way to help a show, but now we know a bit more about why a popular commentator has been missing.

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Pat McAfee debuted as a SmackDown commentator in April 2021 and stayed in the position for just shy of a year and a half before taking a hiatus in September 2022 due to a new position on ESPN College Gameday. Other than a surprise appearance at the 2023 Royal Rumble, McAfee has not broadcast a show since. During a Q&A session on his Instagram, McAfee said that while he loved every second of his time in WWE, he was too busy with his new role at ESPN to be in WWE on a regular basis. He said that while he wanted to be there emotionally, it does not work at the moment. However, he also said “we will figure it out.”

McAfee was a star while he was around. Check out what he did in WWE:

Opinion: I can certainly see both sides of this, as McAfee has done rather well on commentary but at the same time, his much bigger career at ESPN is what matters. Getting to call SmackDown sounds like something he loves to do but ultimately it is more about fun for him than anything else. I’m sure McAfee will pop in when he can, but he has way too much on his plate elsewhere at the moment.