Every NBA postseason, there’s that one moment that hijacks the timeline — the one where players heat up, coaches blow up, or someone behind a mic just… goes rogue. During Game 4 of Pacers vs. Knicks, the talking didn’t just happen on the hardwood. It came from the fans’ booth, and let’s just say, it wasn’t your typical play-by-play. As the game reached a boiling point, so did the commentary — and one ESPN host in particular took things from “hyped” to “hold up, did he really just say that?”

Yes, he really did. ESPN’s Pat McAfee, in full electric-chaos mode, went off script with a message straight out of a motivational speech written by a WWE villain: “Let’s send these sons of b—–s back to New York with their ears ringing! Let’s turn this s— around!”

The outburst, clearly meant to fire up the Indiana crowd, instantly exploded across social media. TNT’s mics picked it up loud and clear — no censorship, no filters, just pure McAfee. And if you’ve followed his career, you know this isn’t new. The man could read the weather report and still somehow end up trending.

Pat McAfee’s tongue has been doing wind sprints for years. Here are just a few memorable mic slip-ups: Aaron Rodgers Injury Reaction (Sept 2023) During a live ESPN broadcast, McAfee dropped a “We’re f—–” when Rodgers tore his Achilles. ESPN had a delay system in place, but this one slipped past the goalie like Damian Lillard in crunch time.

Caitlin Clark Controversy (June 2024) While trying to praise WNBA star Caitlin Clark, he chose a phrase that had people calling for flagrant fouls. McAfee quickly apologized, admitting he meant well, but the delivery was… off. College GameDay Rant (Oct 2023) Responding to Washington State fans attacking analysts, McAfee signed off with a not-so-friendly “F— off.” Probably not the kind of pep talk Lee Corso had in mind.

Blasting ESPN Bosses (Feb 2024) McAfee went straight Stone Cold on ESPN exec Norby Williamson, famously saying: “I don’t got a motherf—— boss.” That line had more shock value than Draymond Green at a referee seminar.

How ESPN Handles the McAfee Chaos

Now, you’d think after all this, ESPN would hand McAfee a technical foul or at least a suspension. But nope. They knew what they were signing up for when they brought The Pat McAfee Show into the fold. In fact, ESPN granted him creative control and even uses a broadcast delay specifically because of his language. They’ve also slapped “viewer discretion” warnings on his segments like a flagrant foul notice — just in case Grandma’s watching between reruns of The Golden Girls.

As of now, McAfee hasn’t been fined for the “sons of b—” moment during Game 4. That might surprise fans who remember players like Anthony Edwards, fined $100K for profanity in a live interview. Patrick Beverley, hit with a $30K tab for “egregious use of profanity.”

But here’s the thing: McAfee’s not a player. He’s an entertainer. A broadcaster. And that line gives him just enough wiggle room to sneak in a few spicy syllables, like a perfectly timed pump fake. Indiana certainly delivered on McAfee’s passionate rally cry. Behind Tyrese Haliburton’s 32-point, 15-assist masterpiece and Pascal Siakam’s 30-point night, the Pacers outgunned the Knicks 130-121. New York’s defense fell apart faster than a James Harden trade rumor, giving up transition buckets like it was Black Friday at Best Buy.

Even Mikal Bridges, who bounced back from his Game 3 criticisms with 17 points and four threes, couldn’t slow Indiana’s offensive barrage. And with Mathurin hitting double digits off the bench and Nesmith throwing down dunks like it was 1997 Vince Carter mode, there wasn’t much the Knicks could do.

In a game packed with buckets, blocks, and blowups, it was Pat McAfee’s words that may echo the longest. His message was loud, explicit, and classic McAfee. Whether you loved it or cringed at it, one thing’s for sure — he’s not toning it down anytime soon. As long as the Pacers keep winning, and the mics stay hot, expect more chaos… and possibly a few more bleep-worthy moments.