Pat McAfee wears his heart on his sleeve. It might not seem so because of his on-camera theatrics, but he sure is a big softie on the inside. McAfee helps to make a lot of people’s wishes come true every season. Even during the busy duration of the playoffs, he reached out to make one special fan extra happy.

This fan is 6-year-old Scarlett Bhatia, who is unfortunately battling a second bout of leukemia. Her father, Jonathan Bhatia, asked Pat McAfee to fulfill a small wish of Scarlett’s, who is an ardent football fan. Unlike others, who will either watch games cozied up at home or with friends and family somewhere, Scarlett will be spending the holidays in the hospital.

“If possible, My wife and I would be extremely grateful if you could send her a motivational video or something,” he shared on X.

The post caught McAfee’s eye. He left an adorable GIF of the Cookie Monster, who whips out a bright red heart. The analyst also added a “🙏🏻” emoji in support of Scarlett and her family’s fight. McAfee can relate to the family’s struggle to some extent, since his beloved dog, Valerie, also struggled with cancer. Moreover, he had actually known Scarlett since their first meeting at the Colts vs. Dolphins game in 2024.

The Bhatias had been invited by courtesy of the Colts for an exclusive experience of the high-octane action. Scarlett made some cherished memories with players like Anthony Richardson. But the highlight of it all was her meeting with McAfee before the game.

“That moment, seeing her eyes light up and the smile on her face, was amazing,” Jonathan narrated to USF Sarasota-Manatee from their experience.

At that time, Scarlett was still fighting her initial diagnosis of leukemia. She eventually entered remission in April 2025. Unfortunately, the cancer returned this year in December, undoing Scarlett’s long fight. But she remains undeterred, and that’s why Pat McAfee pitched in to lift Scarlett’s spirits. Especially because she’d asked for a simple thing.

“Pat has responded, and we are so grateful. The first thing Scarlett said was, ‘He remembers me? That’s so cool!’” Jonathan updated later on X.

Pat McAfee is not the average college football talk show host. It’s earned him some haters along with heaps of fans. But what makes him so special is his selfless nature —connecting with the most special fans. McAfee helped a former high school football kicker earn redemption via his kicking contest on College Gameday, where he earned $250,000 on his second attempt.

McAfee tends not to publicize his philanthropic activities. He is a prominent talk show host, but he also makes sure to give back to the community. Upon gauging the numbers, he sure does bring change to many lives each year.

Pat McAfee has always been committed to the community

McAfee’s bold persona is a hotly debated topic among football fans. But his constant engagements make him a figure worthy of admiration. Phil Mains, the CEO of the Pat McAfee Show, confirmed that the presenter gave away $1.1 million to charity through the kicking contest on College GameDay. A majority of that was for Hurricane Helene aid efforts. Before the SEC Championship this year, the donations totaled a whopping $2.6 million to charity through the popular segment.

While that’s something that fans already have an idea about, there are other notable but lesser-known instances of McAfee stepping up. He did so last year, when ESPN was planning to lay off GameDay staff and consider budget cuts. According to Kirk Herbstreit, McAfee tried to personally cover the costs that would be saved by those freed-up jobs. It prompted ESPN to retract its plan and retain those employees. Another such instance was in 2017, when McAfee and Colts owner Jim Irsay donated $97,000 to the reward for finding the culprit in the Delphi case.

It’s been a long time since Pat McAfee trailblazed his way through football media. He may not be the overwhelming favorite among fans, but he certainly has some special ones rooting for him. McAfee has, for a long time, continued to impact many lives, including Scarlett Bhatia’s.

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