Pat McAfee, the movie star? A wild report sets the stage for the popular podcaster to eventually leave ESPN for a stunning reason.
McAfee’s rise to become a huge name in sports media has been one of the most fascinating in the industry. The man once known as “Boomstick” had a memorable career in the NFL. Serving as a punter for the Indianapolis Colts and earning two trips to the Pro Bowl for being one of the most rugged and tough kickers the game has ever seen.
However, McAfee has become a far bigger name by turning his podcast, The Pat McAfee Show, into one of the most popular in its category. The rapid growth of the podcast landed him some big money deals, including a frequent role as an announcer for WWE, and then a wide-ranging agreement with ESPN that featured the show being aired on the network’s flagship channel.
Pat McAfee has turned himself into quite the Renaissance man over the last five years. However, he could soon add another skill set to his repertoire: Actor. According to a new report from Bloomberg, the head of TKO Group Holdings has designs on turning the former NFL player into a Hollywood star soon.
Ari Emmanuel remains the executive chairman of WME Group, and while he doesn’t have a daily role, he still manages the careers of certain creative talents, including McAfee. While running TKO, Emmanuel has reportedly been aggressive in landing the former football player and sometimes wrestler acting roles.
Pat McAfee lands role in Tulsa King
“McAfee has a four-episode arc on the upcoming season of Tulsa King, the Paramount+ crime show created by Taylor Sheridan and starring [Sylvester] Stallone,” the report reveals. “McAfee has also booked a part in Peter Berg’s upcoming movie The Mosquito Bowl, a sports drama based on a book by Buzz Bissinger, the author of Friday Night Lights.”
Filming for TV shows and movies can take weeks to months, depending on the role. McAfee has shown he can be a workaholic. So he will try to stay active on his podcast from the set. But that is far from a guarantee. If he lands roles that call for filming in the fall, he certainly won’t be able to continue his work on broadcasts of College Gameday.
McAfee curtailed his work with WWE over the last year due to concerns of being burnt out and losing time with his family. If he is serious about acting, it is possible that it may force him to leave his role with ESPN due to his inconsistent availability. It is certainly a story to watch in the months and years ahead.
McAfee is in the third year of a five-year, $85 million pact he signed with ESPN in 2023.
