Pat McAfee's Co-hosts Tease Him Over On-Air 'Weed Smoking' Incident
ESPN personalities Kirk Herbstreit and Nick Saban playfully mocked Pat McAfee after he appeared to smoke a joint on his show.
Pat McAfee faced lighthearted ribbing from his ESPN colleagues Kirk Herbstreit and Nick Saban on Saturday, following an incident where he appeared to smoke a substance resembling a joint during his Thursday show. The on-air moment sparked widespread discussion and accusations of marijuana use.
During his eponymous ESPN/YouTube show, the 39-year-old former punter was seen holding what appeared to be a smoldering cigarette or joint, which he then placed on an ashtray. The visual quickly led to social media speculation that McAfee was smoking pot live on air.
McAfee himself initially addressed the situation on X, formerly Twitter, by suggesting he was burning "little sage." He engaged with a follower who commented that "the ones who watch the progrum know it's either sage or cbd," to which McAfee responded with "THANK YOU."
Despite McAfee's explanation, his College GameDay co-stars seized the opportunity to playfully mock him during Saturday's broadcast from the campus of Ole Miss.
McAfee initiated the exchange by asking Nick Saban if he had ever used "ancient medicine to potentially calm the boys? Like maybe burn some sage?" He added, "Keep the bad spirits, keep the anxiety [away]."
Kirk Herbstreit chimed in, suggesting McAfee "do that in the studio! Just calm the lads down." Saban then interjected with a joke, stating, "I actually think if we had some of your gummies, we would have won more games."
Recreational marijuana remains illegal in Indiana, where McAfee tapes his show, though hemp-derived CBD is legal. Possession of marijuana in Indiana can result in jail time and fines for a first offense.
This is not the first time McAfee has made lighthearted references to marijuana use. He previously told the All the Smoke podcast that he smokes "a lot of weed." Some commentators noted that McAfee's ability to engage in such behavior without apparent consequence stands in contrast to other media personalities. Former NFL player LeSean McCoy remarked that McAfee is "the only dude I know that can smoke weed on a show and nothing happens," while a blogger pointed out that Paul Pierce was fired by ESPN in 2021 after posting a video of himself smoking, drinking, and gambling while off the clock.