Fans know Pat McAfee best from the energy he brings every Saturday on ESPN’s College GameDay. His voice and quick takes have made him a fixture on the campus set. Now the host is trying his luck in a different kind of role that takes his voice outside of football talk. The move puts him inside a big animated project set to hit theaters soon.
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Walt Disney Animation Studios announced on October 12, 2026, that McAfee will join the voice cast of the upcoming film ‘Hexed’. The news arrived with a trailer and poster for the project. It places the familiar ESPN personality in an entertainment setting quite different from his usual sports desk work. The movie is set for exclusive theatrical release in the United States on November 25, 2026.
Disney’s official materials have not confirmed that specific name or detailed the role. The label remains something circulating online rather than a verified credit from the studio.
Pat’s wife offered a personal take the next day. Samantha McAfee posted an Instagram Story on her @mrsmcafeeshow account featuring the same animated rat character. “Oh he’s cuuuute,” she wrote while tagging @espnnfl.
Hexed is an original animated supernatural fantasy and magical coming-of-age story from Walt Disney Animation Studios. The film marks the studio’s 65th feature and lands in the Thanksgiving holiday window on November 25.
Key voices include Jodie Foster as the sinister Queen Celeste and Walton Goggins as the reclusive three-eyed magical cat Beef Roger Crummchuk. Additional cast members listed by Disney include wrestler Drew McIntyre and comedian Ron Funches. McAfee’s own character stays unnamed in the available casting details released with the trailer.
This voice work is new for him. Hexed is his first known role in a major animated feature. He also has a live-action part coming in The Mosquito Bowl as a U.S. Marine drill instructor. That film opens theatrically on October 30, 2026, then arrives on Netflix the same day Hexed hits theaters. McAfee called the drill instructor opportunity “a mind-blowing honor” and spoke about what he learned regarding the Marine Corps.
Scripted work has expanded for him in 2026. He booked a four-episode arc on Tulsa King Season 4 opposite Sylvester Stallone, appearing in a law-enforcement capacity according to advance trailers. Representation by Hollywood agent Ari Emanuel has led to the push for McAfee outside the sports media. The agent has discussed trying to land McAfee a part in Michael Mann’s Heat 2 as well.
His sports-related work is still the central part of his life. He became a full-time weekly analyst on College GameDay Built by The Home Depot starting September 7, 2022, after guest spots in 2019 and 2020.
The three-hour live show travels to a different campus each Saturday, where he breaks down matchups, talks with the crowd, and delivers his weekly pick. The role has stayed a core part of his schedule through the 2026 season.
One segment carries his personal stamp. Kicking is Easy, delivered by The Home Depot, lets a selected early-arriving fan try a 33-yard field goal on the set. Prize money comes from McAfee’s own pocket, and the contest has directed millions toward prizes and charitable causes over the years. He still hosts The Pat McAfee Show during the week and has taken on extra NFL duties, including Monday Night Countdown.
As of October 13, 2026, no public comment from McAfee or his show about the Hexed casting has surfaced in available coverage. Disney has still not named the specific character.