NFL legend JJ Watt on Tuesday directly questioned Pat McAfee's reported multimillion-dollar salary as ESPN experienced a wave of layoffs, catching the host momentarily off guard.

Watt, appearing via satellite to receive an award from The Pat McAfee Show, pivoted from the presentation to inquire about the network's recent downsizing. "Slow, slow news day over there on the ESPN airwaves, huh?" Watt asked. "I mean, besides the fact that you're getting $100 million… Did they keep anybody? Or is everybody fired to pay you? I'm trying to figure that out."

The exchange led to laughter from the show's panel and a brief pause from McAfee, who acknowledged the narrative surrounding his compensation. "We do not like that. That is the narrative, and I'm certainly taking it on the shins," McAfee said. "The boys and I are very proud of the work that we have done. Thanks."

According to reports, McAfee's deal with ESPN is worth $30 million annually, with ongoing negotiations for an extension that could reportedly increase his yearly pay to $60 million. McAfee himself downplayed the $100 million figure Watt cited, telling the former NFL star, "Don't be reading the internet like that."

McAfee also addressed the layoffs, expressing that such events are difficult. "We hate anytime this happens. Obviously, this is terrible. We don't like that, but we are very honored that we are still partnering with ESPN and Disney for the good of sport for the future," he stated. He also noted that his show has faced blame for layoffs in the past when they first licensed their program through ESPN. "I feel like you don't fully understand budgets and where things are coming from, but I do appreciate that. This time we're getting blamed as well, which I guess I can understand, but I mean, there's billions and billions of dollars in these companies, and hard decisions have to get made, and we don't like any of them, and we hope we're an asset to the company going forward."

ESPN Layoffs Impact Several NFL Personalities

The layoffs have affected numerous personalities across the network. Several NFL analysts, including former players Ryan Clark, Cam Newton, and Bart Scott, were reportedly let go. League insider Tom Pelissero was also among those cut, while some NFL Network talent, like Ian Rapoport, are reportedly being retained. Long-time anchor Karl Ravech and SportsCenter's David Lloyd were also impacted by the recent staff reductions. ESPN has not publicly commented on the specific details of the layoffs.