Dan Dakich defends Pat McAfee from "idiotic" criticism

Former ESPN personality Katie Nolan has accused current ESPN star Pat McAfee of acting irresponsibly and then playing the victim when criticism comes his way.

Nolan made the comments on the November 4 episode of her Casuals podcast.

Her remarks followed McAfee’s public reaction to a video posted by the University of Utah ahead of ESPN’s College GameDay broadcast from the campus in October.

McAfee said he felt “very, very uncomfortable” at Utah after the university’s official account shared a video of students making jokes about him.

He also referenced the assassination of Charlie Kirk, who was killed at Utah Valley University in 2025.

Nolan questioned how McAfee handled the situation.

“The guy is winning in every sense of the word, and yet is constantly acting like the world is attacking him baselessly,” Nolan said on the podcast.

“He acts irresponsibly, but then wants everyone to be responsible for his emotional well-being, and to take care of him.”

Nolan compared McAfee’s reaction to the criticism she has faced throughout her own career, including during her time in the Apple TV MLB broadcast booth.

She suggested that McAfee would have difficulty dealing with the level of criticism she has experienced.

Despite her criticism, Nolan acknowledged what McAfee brings to sports broadcasting.

“When Pat adds to a broadcast, he really can. He’s got a lot of energy, and in an industry that’s usually full of old-guard guys, it’s good to have that youthful energy injected,” Nolan said.

However, she argued that being a prominent personality means accepting that not everyone will approve of what he says or does.

Nolan believes McAfee wants to maintain his influence without having to deal with negative reactions from viewers.

Her comments add another voice to the growing criticism of McAfee’s role on College GameDay.

McAfee joined the show as a full-time member in 2022.

Since then, the program has generated strong reactions from viewers.

A January 2026 poll by The Athletic found that 49.5 percent of respondents disliked McAfee’s presence on the show, compared with 31.6 percent who liked it.

Another 18.9 percent had no opinion.

On November 4, an X user named Brandon posted a demand that ESPN fire McAfee.

His post, “I want Pat McAfee fired by midnight @espn,” attracted more than one million views, with several viewers supporting the demand.

One viewer replied, “You are speaking my language. I dont watch espn any longer. Its sky sports for me.”

Another demanded, “Need him fired on live TV.”

A third joked, “only time the words ‘want’ and ‘pat mcafee’ will ever be used together.”

Some viewers felt the program had moved away from its traditional focus on football analysis, campus atmosphere and discussions among its experienced panelists.

Former MSNBC host Joe Scarborough raised similar concerns on the November 3 episode of Morning Joe.

Scarborough praised Rece Davis, Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard and Nick Saban but felt McAfee had taken too much attention away from the rest of the panel.

Co-host Willie Geist shared that view, pointing out how the Saturday morning program had changed since McAfee became a full-time member.

He felt the broadcast had become too centered on one personality rather than the wider college football experience.

Scarborough also mocked McAfee for being so “freaked out because two kids in Utah put up signs or say something that might offend you.”

On November 5, OutKick’s Dan Dakich defended McAfee against Scarborough’s criticism.

Dakich corrected Scarborough, noting that the university’s official account — not individual students — had shared the video.

He said everyone on the show talking about college sports looked like “idiots.”

Dakich made the case that College GameDay was “stale” and “dead in the water” until McAfee arrived.

He accused Scarborough of co-opting sports fandom in an attempt to look like a “real guy.”

Dakich compared Scarborough to the time Tim Walz apparently misused the term “Hail Mary.”

He argued that McAfee is not one of the issues voters cared about in the 2026 midterm elections.

“I’m telling you, this is going to be fascinating. This is going to be absolutely fascinating. No, it’s amazing. Hate won last night, but Pat McAfee ain’t among the hate. Hate won. We’ll see how hate progresses and what they do with it, but Pat McAfee being on GameDay wasn’t one of the issues,” Dakich said.

Nolan’s criticism focuses on a different aspect of McAfee’s public persona.

She argues that McAfee presents himself as the target of unfair attacks despite his professional success.

McAfee built a large following through his self-titled show on YouTube and later on ESPN, where his program airs daily.

His style combines sports commentary with humor, offbeat segments and frequent interactions with his audience.

Supporters say he brings energy and authenticity to a format that can feel stale.

Critics say his act wears thin and that he lacks the discipline required for serious sports journalism.

Nolan’s own career in sports media has included roles at Fox Sports, ESPN and Apple TV.

She hosted the popular podcast Sports? with Katie Nolan and contributed to various studio shows.

Her experience in the industry gives her perspective on how public figures handle criticism.

She suggested that McAfee would not last a day in her shoes.