Pat McAfee, an ESPN personality, expressed discomfort after a social media post from the University of Utah's Instagram account before his appearance on the network's "College GameDay" broadcast in Salt Lake City. The post, which has since been removed, featured students making impressions of McAfee and included comments calling him "corny" and "creepy".
McAfee stated that he would not have taken issue with students sharing their opinions on their own, but he felt uncomfortable with the university posting them before he went on air in front of thousands of fans. He noted that the university's actions conveyed a particular message about how they felt about him.
The post appeared to reference the September 2025 shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, which occurred at Utah Valley University, approximately 40 miles south of Salt Lake City. McAfee asked if the university should be amplifying reasons for why people hate him, and suggested that the post added to the hostility he faces.
The University of Utah apologized for the post, stating that their intention was to create lighthearted engagement about McAfee's return to campus, but they "missed the mark". The university expressed appreciation and regret for any perception that McAfee was unsafe or unwelcome on their campus.
McAfee stated that he knew some people might not consider the students' comments to be particularly harsh, but emphasized that it was the university's decision to post them that made him uncomfortable. He also expressed frustration with a student's question during his weekly "Kicking Is Easy" contest, which gave a contestant a chance to kick a field goal for $1 million.
Despite his frustrations, McAfee praised Utah's football team and its student section, calling it "incredible". He thanked the fans who attended Saturday's broadcast, which was part of the University of Utah's 21-13 victory over Houston.
NTC Report coverage is based on reporting from the original publisher.
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