Pat McAfee joins WWE SmackDown; new commentary team announced
WWE has announced that Pat McAfee is set to debut as WWE SmackDown’s new analyst. Starting with Friday’s episode, he will commentate on the show every week alongside WWE’s Vice President of on-air announce talent, Michael Cole.
The former NFL player, who began working for WWE as an NXT TakeOver kickoff show analyst in 2018, made his in-ring debut in 2020. He lost his first match against Adam Cole at NXT TakeOver: XXX in August. Four months later, he joined forces with Danny Burch, Oney Lorcan, and Pete Dunne in a losing effort against The Undisputed Era at NXT TakeOver: WarGames.
Speaking to WWE’s website, McAfee said it is a “dream come true” to work as a WWE SmackDown announcer.
“For as long as I can remember WWE has been a company that I have admired, both for its incredible staying power of creating riveting entertainment and for its ability to connect people all over the globe. I’ve been fortunate to try a lot of cool professions but working for WWE was the one I looked forward to most. I am incredibly honored and grateful for the chance to give back to the business that has given me and many others so much and having the opportunity to sit at the same table that legends have graced is truly a dream come true. Now let’s go get it.”
Pat McAfee previously worked as a WWE SmackDown analyst on the November 1, 2019 episode of the show. WWE rotated the commentators for that episode due to the usual announce team’s flight delay after WWE Crown Jewel 2019.
Pat McAfee is not WWE’s only new announcer
Tom Phillips, Byron Saxton, and Samoa Joe worked as the WWE RAW announce team in the build-up to WrestleMania 37. On WWE SmackDown, Michael Cole called the in-ring action alongside Corey Graves.
The post-WrestleMania 37 episode of WWE RAW saw Graves and Saxton work alongside Adnan Virk as the show’s new commentary trio. Meanwhile, WWE SmackDown is now set to feature the team of Cole and Pat McAfee at the announce table.
In 2019, Michael Cole and Pat McAfee famously became involved in a backstage row before WrestleMania 35 due to McAfee’s decision to wear jorts. The 33-year-old said he almost walked out of the event after Cole yelled at him in front of co-workers.