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Pat McAfee Is Reportedly Plotting A Huge Move Into Hollywood

Originally posted on The Spun | By Chris Rosvoglou | Last updated Feb 19, 2026 12:16 PM ET

Pat McAfee might be one of the biggest personalities in sports media at the moment, but there's no guarantee he'll stay at ESPN.

Not only does McAfee have his own self-titled show on ESPN, he plays a significant role on "College GameDay." According to previous reports, his deal with the Worldwide Leader in Sports is for five years and around $85 million.

So why would McAfee leave ESPN behind? Well, according to Bloomberg, the former NFL punter has partnered with superagent Ari Emanuel. Apparently, the goal is to turn McAfee into the next Sylvester Stallone.

For what it's worth, McAfee already has a role in "Tulsa King" lined up on his schedule.

"Though Emanuel no longer runs Endeavor, the talent agency he co-founded, on a daily basis, he is the executive chairman of WME Group and represents a handful of high-profile clients like Larry David and Seth MacFarlane. He’s added McAfee to the list and has started to book him into film and TV roles," the report from Bloomberg states. "McAfee has a four-episode arc on the upcoming season of Tulsa King, the Paramount+ crime show created by Taylor Sheridan and starring Stallone."

Feb 7, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Pat McAfee on the Pat McAfee Show set on Radio Row at the Super Bowl LIX media center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images© Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Losing McAfee would be a tough blow.

ESPN signed McAfee in 2023 because of his "unique blend of humor, insight and intelligence." Perhaps those exact qualities will make him a star on the big screen.

If McAfee leaves ESPN behind for Hollywood, that would leave the network with a massive hole to fill on "College GameDay."

Additionally, ESPN would have to find a program capable of dominating the 12 p.m. ET slot on weekdays.

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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