ESPN personality Pat McAfee is still catching heat over his recent feud with the University of Utah, and now former ESPN host Michelle Beadle, ESPN SportsCenter anchor Linda Cohn, and a prominent sports columnist have joined the growing list of critics.
All are concerned with how Pat McAfee reacted to a video the university released in which Utah students mocked his behavior on College GameDay.
The controversy began when McAfee criticized the university’s Instagram video and said he hoped never to return. The video had students impersonating McAfee, with one saying he was corny and another saying he was creepy.
Pat McAfee responded to the video in a statement, saying he didn’t feel comfortable or safe visiting Utah, even mentioning the September 2025 assassination of Charlie Kirk at nearby Utah Valley University. ESPN supported him, claiming his safety concerns were legitimate.
The university subsequently deleted the video and apologized.
Michelle Beadle Calls Pat McAfee’s Reaction ‘Soft’
During an appearance on The Dan Le Batard Show on Thursday, Michelle Beadle questioned how Pat McAfee could be so upset about some college students making fun of him.
“We are constantly told as women that we’re hysterical, we’re too emotional, we can’t handle things,” Beadle said, adding, “I could never be that soft. Never.”
She added that she has received numerous death and sexual violence threats on social media throughout her career.
“This has been one of the softest, and we’ve seen quite a few from some of the people at the top of this food pyramid of sports media, one of the softest reactions to something that was so ridiculously unserious,” Michelle Beadle continued.
She did admit, however, that she was enjoying watching the controversy unfold. “Quite frankly, from afar, I’m enjoying every single second of it,” she said.
ESPN Veteran Linda Cohn Also Questions Pat McAfee
Former ESPN SportsCenter anchor Linda Cohn also criticized Pat McAfee on her show, asking why someone who has built his career on being loud and controversial couldn’t handle a few college students making jokes about him.
“You don’t have to enjoy it, but you have to decide whether every joke deserves the full weight of your platform,” Cohn said.
Linda Cohn also pointed out that McAfee’s reaction only brought more attention to the video.
“You gave their video a national publicity campaign,” she said, adding that he could have simply given the students a little grief and moved on.
Numerous fans agreed with Cohn on social media, with one calling McAfee a “loud-mouthed, thin-skinned guy” who can dish out criticism but can’t take it.
Prominent Sports Columnist Also Unloads On Pat McAfee
Michelle Beadle and Linda Cohn weren’t the only ones taking shots at Pat McAfee.
SFGate columnist Drew Magary published a scathing column titled “More like Pat MAGA-fee,” criticizing both McAfee and ESPN’s handling of the situation.
Magary described McAfee as a “one-man pandemic” and a “self-absorbed a——.”
He also brought up several past controversies involving Pat McAfee’s show, including false rumors about Ole Miss student Mary Kate Cornett and Aaron Rodgers’ allegations involving Jimmy Kimmel.
Magary questioned why ESPN was so quick to support Pat McAfee while women involved in other controversies allegedly received less protection.
Meanwhile, Barstool Sports’ Dave Portnoy expressed surprise at his former colleague’s reaction, praising Utah’s fans and atmosphere.
Given that the video simply showed Utah students doing impressions and making jokes about a well-known television personality, the attention it’s received is pretty remarkable. And judging by the latest reactions, it doesn’t look like it’s going away anytime soon.