Since licensing his show to ESPN and joining College GameDay, there’s been no shortage of scrutiny sent Pat McAfee’s way. Some of it’s well-deserved, but there’s also no denying what he’s brought to the network, even if he’s undoubtedly ruffled some feathers along the way.
That said, he’s helped revive GameDay — an impressive feat in itself. It’s not that the program was dying, but McAfee injected some new lifeblood into it, a “rebirth,” if you will. Along with the addition of Nick Saban, ESPN just enjoyed its most successful season in show history from a ratings standpoint.
After one season, McAfee was unsure if he wanted to continue being an integral part of the show that’s become part of college football’s very fabric. After an offseason of deliberation, he decided to keep it spinning—and it paid off handsomely.
But it’s also paid off in other ways too.
Each week, the former Indianapolis Colts punter’s field-goal kicking contest has transformed into one of the most anticipated segments of the three-hour show.
At Cal, McAfee’s challenge led to a dramatic $100k kick, wearing slip-on Vans, for Hurricane Helene relief. Then there was Dude Perfect’s Tyler Toney, who sunk a $100k field goal of his own at College Station. Add in a soccer player stepping up to make an unforgettable shot, and you’ve got a segment that’s as unpredictable as it is must-watch television.
“The field-goal kicking contest which was 100 percent Pat’s idea and has become every bit as anticipated, in my opinion, as Corso’s headgear bit has been over the years,” Burke Magnus told Ryan Glasspiegel of Front Office Sports.
McAfee also decided to put serious money—and a lot of it—on the line.
According to Phil Mains, the CFO of McAfee’s show and operation, through the field goal-kicking contest, they’ve raised an impressive $1.15 million for charity, most of which has gone toward Hurricane Helene relief. Additionally, $620k has been awarded to those who successfully made their kicks.
Clearly, McAfee’s field goal-kicking contest has evolved from being more than just a gimmick.
About Sam Neumann
Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.