Pat McAfee has always been a lightning rod. The former Colts punter turned media juggernaut stormed into ESPN College GameDay with his booming voice, bold outfits, and unapologetically brash personality. Some fans loved him instantly; others cringed. But one man on his staff has never wavered in his support. And now, Kirk Herbstreit is making his feelings crystal clear on his colleague who carries an unnecessary chip on his shoulder. Sensitive much?

When Kirk Herbstreit joined Jimmy Traina’s SI Media podcast this week, the conversation naturally turned to Pat McAfee. Sports Illustrated posted the exchange on YouTube on September 25 where Herbstreit gave his verdict. “I think people just saw a guy and go from traditional linear television to an internet sensation coming onto the show and doing things unconventionally, doing things the way he does. I think he overhypes the fraction of the audience that was like, ‘What’s this guy’s deal?’ Yes. I think he blows that out of proportion.” Naturally, the old guard squirmed. But a couple of years later, the tide has turned.

Still, Kirk Herbstreit pointed out that Pat McAfee’s critics are loud but small in number. And yet the former WWE star, who thrives on his us vs. them persona, acts as though the whole college football world is plotting against him. His colleague wasn’t being harsh, just honest. McAfee feeds the trolls more than he should. But for all the noise about perception, Herbstreit insists McAfee has done something more valuable than prove his haters wrong. He’s revitalized College GameDay itself.

GameDay, for years, was known for tradition. The headgear picks. The established roles. The buttoned-up tone. Then Pat McAfee arrived. At first, the unconventional energy rattled the cage. Kirk Herbstreit admitted, “I think there were some people that are like ‘why is this guy on the show?’” But that criticism, in hindsight, was inevitable. Whenever a legacy property gets a shake-up, the old guard resists. 

Now, Kirk Herbstreit says his co-staff’s presence has become essential. “But I think after a couple years now, I think they’ve come to realize Pat is a— he celebrates the sport like he celebrate he’s in this era of the stuff that’s out there. A lot of people are looking to pull the rug out from you and they want to see you fail,” he said. “Pat’s not that guy. Pat lifts up… His energy is obvious and it’s contagious. So, we’re on a roll, man. We got a great show.” But Pat McAfee’s value isn’t just in his hot takes or his microphone skills, it’s in his checkbook. And Herbstreit was quick to highlight that too.

Pat McAfee’s wallet is louder than his words

Pat McAfee’s pockets have been working overtime this season. Twice already, college students have nailed 33-yard kicks on the College GameDay set, each attempt worth a quarter-million dollars or more. But what is surprising is that the money doesn’t come from ESPN. Kirk Herbstreit revealed in the Stugotsz and Company podcast, “He’s given over $500,000. People are like, ‘ESPN does that, right?’ I’m like, I know he makes a lot of money, but he’s writing checks to these guys. It’s cool.”

At Ohio State and Oklahoma, students walked away with Pat McAfee’s money. Real money. Life-changing money. Kirk Herbstreit painted the picture. “It’s the craziest thing to see, and it’s life-changing for you know this is real,” he said. “This isn’t fake money. This is real. And these people, they either have loans they’re paying off or their parents are paying for it.” And McAfee doesn’t stop there. He’s doubled prize pots with charitable donations, like a $600,000 offer in Knoxville with The Pat Summitt Foundation. 

Of course, he also has a flair for roping Kirk Herbstreit into the action without warning. He added, “Sometimes I don’t even know he’s doing this. He’s like, ‘Kirk’s going to throw in $200,000 over here, too.’ I’m like, that is not discussed beforehand.” Yes, he has literally been blindsided into coughing up six figures. “ I gave $100,000. I had to give $100,000 away,” he said. 

In the end, that’s why Pat McAfee matters. Because he’s putting his money, and apparently Kirk Herbstreit’s, where his mouth is.