Pat McAfee Cites Charlie Kirk Shooting After University of Utah Social Media Post

ESPN personality Pat McAfee stated he felt "very, very uncomfortable" during his appearance on "College GameDay" at the University of Utah, citing a university social media post that he said amplified negative comments about him. McAfee drew a parallel between the incident and the 2025 killing of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University, located about 40 miles south of Salt Lake City.

McAfee explained on "The Pat McAfee Show" that he saw a video on the University of Utah's Instagram account shortly before going on air. The video asked students to do impressions of him and included remarks calling him "corny" and "creepy." McAfee took issue with the university posting this content, especially as he was about to promote the school.

"This is how the university feels about it. It’s an uncomfortable feeling," McAfee said, adding that the post "set me off a little bit" and made him feel "a little weird."

He then referenced the September 2025 shooting of Charlie Kirk during an event at Utah Valley University. "Has anything like really scary happened at like a college gathering in the state of Utah recently?" McAfee questioned. "Like, do we think we should be amplifying reasons for why people hate my guts as a university?"

McAfee reiterated the point later, stating that the university's post contributed to a sense of hostility he felt just before promoting the campus. He emphasized his discomfort, saying, "I was very, very uncomfortable. I think it made me not have the greatest morning."

The University of Utah issued an apology, stating that the social media post aimed for "lighthearted engagement" but "missed the mark." The school acknowledged responsibility for the content and confirmed they had reached out to McAfee to express their regret, emphasizing that he and the "College GameDay" crew are always welcome on campus.

McAfee acknowledged that some might view the student comments as minor, but he stressed the significance of the university itself publishing the remarks. "It was the university putting that out. It’s not like a blog. It’s the actual place that we’re at," he said.

Beyond the social media post, McAfee also expressed frustration with a student's comment during his "Kicking Is Easy" contest. The student questioned why the prize was "only $1 million" when it had been higher the previous week, prompting McAfee to jokingly remark, "I hate this place."

Despite these incidents, McAfee praised Utah's football team and its student section, calling them "incredible." He also thanked the fans who attended the broadcast. The University of Utah defeated Houston 21-13 on Saturday.