ESPN personality Pat McAfee is facing fresh criticism after viewers claimed he appeared to smoke marijuana during a live broadcast of The Pat McAfee Show.
A clip from Thursday's programme spread rapidly on social media, with more than one million views on X as users debated what McAfee appeared to be smoking. The footage shows the former NFL punter speaking before placing what appears to be a smouldering joint beside him. The object continues to smoke as he carries on with the broadcast.
The footage does not establish what the object was. Neither ESPN nor McAfee initially commented publicly. McAfee has previously been open about marijuana use, telling All the Smoke in 2024: 'I smoke a lot of weed.'
🚨TRENDING🚨#NFL legend Pat McAfee was caught SMOKING live on ESPN whom doing his show today.
— MLFootball (@MLFootball) September 17, 2026
Pat McAfee is reported to be finalizing a massive extension worth over $60 million with the network to be the face.
This video has gone viral on social media: pic.twitter.com/7zvSgRpzyy
Viewers React to Viral Footage
The incident has prompted questions about standards on ESPN programming. Moreover, it also generated mixed reactions.
'He's such a f****** douche bag. I really liked him back in 2018-2022 but damn has he really overdone it with the whole "f*** your country club" shtick,' one viewer remarked.
'This is actually so disgraceful. I will be canceling my membership asap. I can't believe this happened,' someone else wrote.
'If it was a black man they would fire his a**,' another commenter said.
Other viewers took a more relaxed view. One fan wrote, 'Good for him, man. Yall need to chill out,' while another posted, 'His show, his studio.'
McAfee later appeared to address the speculation, joking: 'Little sage hurts nobody.' He then moved on to discuss the Buffalo Bills. The comment did not clarify what was shown in the viral footage.
The controversy adds to previous scrutiny of McAfee's unconventional broadcasting style. He has faced criticism over profanity and other rowdy moments on ESPN programmes.
ESPN Role Expands Amid Contract Talks
The latest controversy comes as McAfee's role at ESPN continues to grow. He remains a prominent figure on College GameDay and is also appearing on Monday Night Countdown during the 2026 NFL season.
ESPN has begun preparations for Super Bowl LXI, its first Super Bowl broadcast. McAfee is among the personalities featured in its campaign.
His growing role comes amid reported negotiations over a new ESPN contract. The Athletic reported in June that discussions were centred on $60 million to $65 million (£44.6 million-£48.3 million) annually. McAfee's representatives reportedly opened negotiations with a $100 million (£74.3 million) annual proposal. The figures did not represent a completed deal.
McAfee's current arrangement reportedly pays close to $30 million (£22.3 million) annually when his production deal and other ESPN roles are combined. His show remains a significant part of the network's digital strategy.
ESPN said The Pat McAfee Show generated more than one billion social media views in September 2025, while its ESPN and YouTube broadcasts averaged 447,000 live or concurrent viewers. In August 2026, the show averaged 405,000 viewers across linear and digital platforms, up 19 per cent year on year.
The viral clip has renewed attention on the balance between McAfee's unfiltered style and ESPN's broadcasting standards, particularly as the network continues to give him a prominent role across some of its biggest sports programmes.
