In the wreckage of Jacksonville Jaguars’ playoff dreams (a 27-24 Wild Card loss to the Buffalo Bills), something unexpected ignited a firestorm. It had nothing to do with Josh Allen’s heroics or Trevor Lawrence’s crushing interception. A reporter’s kind words to the devastated head coach Liam Coen became the spark for Pat McAfee to detonate on his own industry.

McAfee didn’t just defend Lynn Jones, the reporter who spoke up for Coen. He went scorched earth on journalists he believes are poisoning sports.

“Love seeing these sports ‘journalists’ getting ABSOLUTELY BURIED for being curmudgeon bums,” McAfee fired off on X. “OBVIOUSLY NOT ALL OF THEM but a LARGE % of these things hate sports.. They hate what sports are for people (happiness).. They hate what sports are for society (unifier).. They’re political journalists by nature who’ve preyed on sports because they saw it as an easier path to ‘make it’.”

It was classic McAfee. The former NFL punter has made a career positioning himself as the opposite of traditional sports media. His own The Pat Mcafee Show opens with a disclaimer that its “comedic informative” entertainment, not journalism, a requirement ESPN imposed when they handed him an $85 million deal. McAfee has repeatedly distanced himself from journalistic standards, and it’s worked spectacularly. So much, in fact, that he has now issued a blunt warning to all reporters.

“Their days are numbered,” McAfee continued. “My show being broadcasted on ESPN 10 hours a week with zero creative say from any ‘journalism school’ puppets is living proof of that.. That’s why they attack me as much as possible.. I’m happy the world is starting to see what they truly are. Now… We as a society have to stop taking these particular humans seriously. Their opinions and thoughts are coming from a place of wanting to destroy sports.”

This powerful rant crystallizes Pat McAfee’s worldview perfectly. While traditional reporters navigate editorial oversight and fact-checking protocols, McAfee operates where personality trumps precision.

And this isn’t McAfee’s first war with the media establishment. He’s feuded with ESPN reporter Andrew Marchand, and even publicly accused Norby Williamson of sabotaging his show. McAfee’s impact has been so profound that The Atlantic even published a piece titled “Pat McAfee and the Threat to Sports Journalism”. And yet, his critique of Lynn Jones stands out for its warmth.

“Thank you Lynn Jones for setting up a situation for me and all of us on how Liam Coen, a man who might be a [goat emoji] when he’s done, handles compliments during one of his most miserable moments,” McAfee concluded his tweet. “He handled it with class and humility.. Feels like some journalism was actually done there.”

The contrast here feels deliberate. Jones showed humanity while traditional media demands nothing but accountability. But While McAfee showered his praise for Jones, everybody wasn’t thinking along the same lines.

When empathy met the press box

The incident occurred in the Jaguars’ post game press room, where Lynn Jones of the Jacksonville Free Press News broke every unwritten rule.

“I just want to tell you congratulations on your success, young man,” Jones told Coen, whose 13-4 season had just ended in heartbreak. “You hold your head up. You guys have had a most magnificent season as you did a great job out there today.”

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The moment felt surreal. Coen, expecting probing questions about fourth-quarter decisions or Lawrence’s game-ending interception, instead received encouragement. He managed only “Thank you, I appreciate it”.

But the backlash was immediate for Jones. ESPN’s Brooke Pryor stated bluntly: “It’s not the job of a reporter to console a coach in a postgame press conference.” Jenna Laine, though supportive, noted that “If one of us – her female peers – did this after a postseason game in 2007, we would not have been allowed back. Women have fought really hard to be in these spaces.”

The criticism centered on opportunity and its cost. Numerous journalists would have extracted information about a thriller that swung wildly–Jacksonville’s blown lead, Allen’s game-winning plunge. Jones used her platform for consolation and offered support instead.

As for Pat McAfee, the divide is existential. On one side sit gatekeepers who enforce standards and demand accountability. On the other stands a new guard prioritizing access and connection with athletes and coaches instead of putting them on the stands. Whether this is a new evolution for sports media or not, we know McAfee is all for it.