Pat McAfee Fires Back After ESPN Viewer Takes Aim at His 'Alcohol Problem’
Pat McAfee fires back after an ESPN viewer calls out his alcohol problem, with the NFL host delivering a blunt response that gets personal.
One comment was enough to pull Pat McAfee back into a controversy he probably would have preferred to leave behind. After an ESPN viewer accused the former Colts punter of having an “alcohol and adderall problem,” McAfee responded on X with a remark that was impossible to miss. The comment came just days after a viral moment on *The Pat McAfee Show*, where viewers questioned whether he was smoking on air. Rather than let the accusation sit, McAfee brought his trademark humor into the exchange and addressed the criticism head-on.
Pat McAfee has a sharp reply
The exchange began when an X user criticized Marcus Spears and then directed another accusation at McAfee, writing that the ESPN personality had a “bad alcohol and adderall problem.” McAfee replied by telling Spears to pass along a message to the woman, calling her a “terrible mom.” He then referred to the earlier controversy, writing, “First it was the sage… now it's the booze. I'm just high on life out here.” McAfee followed that with a comment about how viewers interpreted his behaviour, saying he could not believe people had listened to him and concluded that he was taking ADHD medication.
The response came after a Thursday episode of The Pat McAfee Show drew attention when viewers believed McAfee was smoking something on camera. However, footage did not confirm that he was smoking marijuana, and McAfee did not identify what he was holding. He later joked, “Little sage never hurt nobody,” before shifting to the Buffalo Bills' win over the Lions.
Pat McAfee's past shaped his response
McAfee's history with alcohol has made the accusation more personal. He has previously spoken about a 2020 incident from his NFL career when he was arrested for public intoxication after a night of heavy drinking in Indianapolis. At the time, he said he was struggling with the way he was living.
The incident led to a $10,000 fine from the Colts, a one-game suspension and 27 months in the NFL's substance abuse program. McAfee later said he underwent 216 drug tests during that period and stopped drinking completely.
Years later, McAfee has built a media career around the same outspoken style that often puts him at the center of attention. His latest response followed that pattern, as he chose humor and directness instead of ignoring the criticism.