In the summer of 2009, Pat McAfee and Tom Pestock were vying for spots on the Indianapolis Colts roster.
Thirteen years later, the two will square off in a grudge match at SummerSlam.
“There was no foreshadowing of it then,” says Pestock, who is best known in WWE as Baron Corbin. “Pat’s went on to have success in everything he’s done. This is an age-old battle of good versus evil. Pat will try to find success in Nashville at SummerSlam, and I’ll do everything I can to stop him.”
In a set of circumstances then-Colts coach Jim Caldwell could have never envisioned, McAfee and Corbin have evolved from teammates to in-ring rivals inside WWE. While their time together on the Colts did not last long—McAfee was selected in the seventh round of the NFL draft in 2009 and had a successful career with the franchise, while Corbin came out of a Division II school to have a short stint as a practice player for the Colts and then with the Arizona Cardinals—they remained close well after their careers ended.
“I was a bubble practice squad guy, and Pat had an apartment,” Corbin says. “At the time, I didn’t want to get a place or sign a lease. It wasn’t my kind of football with the Colts. Back then, I had a 19.5-inch neck and weighed 330 pounds.
“I was a hard-nosed, head down-eyes closed pulling guard, and they had me at left tackle. I could play left tackle, but I was a better inside player just because of my physicality. So I was afraid I was going to get let go. I stayed with Pat and we’d golf almost every day. We were pretty tight then, and we stayed in touch.”
Their feud in WWE has brought a new spark to SummerSlam. McAfee rarely wrestles, spending the bulk of his time on the SmackDown commentary team. His last match took place at WrestleMania, and it was a spectacular performance. If given the opportunity, which he was briefly afforded in NXT, McAfee possesses a rare combination of charisma and athleticism that has the potential to propel him to the very top of WWE.
“Pat connects with people all over the world,” Corbin says. “He’s found success in everything he’s done. He is showing that you don’t need to be 6'7" to do this. He gives people hope that they can find success in life. I’m a big, salty, angry guy. At SummerSlam, I’m going to take away all that hope and inspiration.”
Whether he is performing as Baron, Broke, King or Happy Corbin, Pestock adds value to WWE programming every time he steps on screen. He is a unique entity in the modern-day scene. Tying into the industry’s roots, he portrays characters designed to frustrate the crowd—a role he relishes.
“I just hit my 10-year mark in WWE, and over six years on the main roster,” Corbin says. “I’ve been a career heel and I take a lot of pride in irritating people all over the globe.”
Despite the fact that some of his roles, at least on paper, appear to be limited, Corbin’s hallmark in WWE is making the most of whatever he is presented.
“That’s my competitive nature,” says Corbin, who was even given the nod to share the ring with The Rock on the first SmackDown on Fox in 2019. “I want to take whatever it is they give me and make it the best thing possible, even when it has low expectations. Vince’s idea for Broke Corbin was a two- or three-week thing about being sad after losing the crown, but I wanted to go full tilt with it. It really took off on that one Talking Smack episode when I talked about having to bang a can of spaghetti on the street because I didn’t have a can opener. Then it snowballed from there.
“That’s the challenge, take what you’re given and make the most of it. When I do that, it’s a notch in my belt. When you make things work, it really opens a lot of doors.”
Corbin’s character changes are unique. Unlike others, who step off camera and return revamped, his transitions happen in real-time.
“Sometimes, my changes are week-to-week, like when I became the ‘Constable’ with Kurt [Angle],” Corbin says. “I try to give it a natural flow so nothing seems forced. It ties back to my past. I was a Division II college football player. We finally had a couple scouts finally come my junior year, and I ran a sub-5.40 at 318 pounds. That opened a lot of eyes. You get these opportunities and you have to make the most of them, and that’s helped me a lot in WWE.
“Originally, when I lost the crown, that story happened in the moment. It was around seven that night when I got my details for what they wanted, and I flipped the switch and was ready to go. I was able to do that in football. I got an opportunity in Indy, and I’ll blame Pat McAfee for that, but then I went to Arizona. I was in a fist fight the first week I was there. [Offensive line coach] Russ Grimm loved it. That’s the attitude he wanted in his offensive linemen. He’s an old school hog, a Hall of Famer, and I showed him in my tryout that he signed me right there for the practice squad. When you get an opportunity, you have to make the most of it.“
Embracing the role of antagonist, Corbin adds that Colts icon Peyton Manning will be rooting for Happy Corbin at SummerSlam instead of McAfee.
“Peyton’s work ethic is unmatched, but he is also one of the smartest players to ever play the game,” Corbin says. “His mind for sports is just unbelievable. When you got to Indy, they’d hand you one playbook, and then you’d get another with Peyton’s code words and his offensive structures. It’s really even more proof of how smart he is since he’s picking me to win.”
McAfee and Corbin have brought intensity and physicality in the build to this match. Suddenly, without the benefit of a title or a long on-screen storyline, their matchup has developed into one of the must-see parts of Saturday’s card.
“It isn’t complicated,” Corbin says. “Look at the stats. Pat’s a former NFL punter. I was an offensive lineman. I’m going to run right through him at SummerSlam and shut him up once and for all.”
Justin Barrasso can be reached at JBarrasso@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @JustinBarrasso.
