Back in March, Pat McAfee sparked major backlash when he called Canada a “terrible country” after fans booed the U.S. national anthem at a WWE event in Toronto. The comment lit up social media, with angry fans demanding ESPN fire the former NFL punter immediately. But ESPN didn’t take any serious action back then, leaving McAfee to deal with the heat on his own. This time, though, the network didn’t hold back; they’ve officially parted ways with one of McAfee’s colleagues.

On Friday, the network parted ways with Pat McAfee’s colleague, Julie Foudy, ending her 20-year run with ESPN. It wasn’t because of any controversy or backlash. The split came simply because both sides couldn’t agree on a new contract.

Julie Foudy had been the heart of ESPN’s soccer coverage since 2005. She has shown up everywhere from World Cup commentary to powerful stories like the one she did on Katie Meyer. So, it’s safe to say that she wasn’t just a voice; she was a trailblazer, calling men’s games when hardly any women did. Be it Special Olympics, Little League, podcasts, or panels, she has always shown up where it mattered.

But that’s not all about her professional career. Before all that, Foudy gave 17 years to the U.S. Women’s National Team, winning two World Cups and two Olympic golds. With these achievements, she even earned her spot in the National Soccer Hall of Fame. Wow! That’s a superwoman for sure!

However, now, after two decades of loyalty, ESPN let Pat McAfee’s colleague go quietly, as they couldn’t agree on a contract. So, what’s next for Foudy? Well, let us inform you that with Netflix holding the rights to the next women’s World Cups, Foudy is already doing work with TNT. This means she has some projects upcoming for her.

Meanwhile, on the other hand, ESPN stayed silent on Friday, as they skipped commenting on anything to do with the veteran analyst. Something which they did when letting go of many employees, including football analyst Robert Griffin III and host Samantha Ponder. Nevertheless, after the recent cut, the sports channel has added a new member to the house. But this move isn’t sitting well with the former Indianapolis Colts star.

Why is Pat McAfee against Rich Eisen’s hiring?

Pat McAfee loves Rich Eisen, and he’s said that loud and clear. For instance, in 2023, he called Eisen an “inspiring pal” and a “genius” for his insightful commentary. However, when that inspirational person joined his channel, McAfee found it concerning.

Yes! When news dropped that Eisen’s show is landing back on ESPN, at the exact same noon-to-3 time slot as his, it definitely made him pause. He kept it classy, calling Eisen a good dude. But you could hear the curiosity in his tone as he said, “That’s a good timeslot. That feels very interesting.” In addition, he even questioned, “Noon-to-3 is fascinating, for sure. Is that a message? I don’t know….But nonetheless, we’re happy Rich is back.” The reasoning behind it is the overlap between their time slots.

While Eisen’s show will stream and possibly air on ESPN Radio, Pat McAfee’s crew goes live on the network’s main channel. That’s why one of his guys even joked, “You’ve got choices right there,” and McAfee took it in stride. He didn’t throw shade but made it clear that he sees what’s happening, and if this turns into a network chess match, he’s more than ready to play.