Pat McAfee’s ESPN show became the center of an online debate after a live moment appeared to show him smoking something on camera. The clip spread across social media, with viewers debating what McAfee had in his hand. The footage shows him placing an object into an ashtray, but it does not establish what the substance was.
McAfee later addressed the moment with a joking reference to “sage” on X. His response added another layer to the divided reaction. ESPN has not identified the object or announced any disciplinary response. The episode also revived discussion about McAfee’s on-air style.
What happened during McAfee’s ESPN broadcast
The viral moment came during the Sept. 17 episode of The Pat McAfee Show, which airs live on ESPN and ESPN+. In the clip circulating online, McAfee appears to handle a small, lit object before placing it in an ashtray beside him.
Smoke can be seen rising from the ashtray after the object is placed inside. That visual led some viewers to conclude that McAfee had been smoking marijuana, although the footage does not confirm the substance or definitively establish what he was doing.
The clip quickly became a social media talking point, with one widely shared post surpassing 1 million views. Some viewers criticized the apparent behavior during an ESPN broadcast, while others dismissed the controversy and pointed to McAfee’s established reputation for a less conventional presentation.
McAfee responded without identifying the substance
McAfee addressed the viral footage on X on Sept. 18, but he did not directly identify the object. “Little sage never hurt nobody,” he wrote, before shifting the post toward the Buffalo Bills’ 41-31 victory over the Detroit Lions.
His response also included a reference to Buffalo “smokin’ the Lions in all phases” and praise for quarterback Josh Allen. McAfee acknowledged the discussion without confirming the marijuana speculation attached to the video.
ESPN has not publicly commented on the footage in the reporting surrounding the incident. That leaves the central detail unresolved: there has been no verified identification of what McAfee placed in the ashtray during the live broadcast.
Why McAfee’s past is part of the discussion
The reaction has been amplified by McAfee’s previous public comments about marijuana. During past media appearances, he has openly discussed marijuana use, which helps explain why some viewers quickly connected the viral ESPN clip to that speculation.
That history still does not establish what happened during the September broadcast. Reporting on the incident has noted that the footage does not clearly show McAfee inhaling or verify what was in his hand.
McAfee was also involved in another on-camera incident with a vape pen. During the 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay, he appeared to take a hit from a vape device, and later wrote that he believed it contained CBD and vitamins.
Fun fact: Pat McAfee was a three-time first-team All-WPIAL soccer player before becoming a star kicker and punter at West Virginia. He also won the 2003 national Punt, Pass & Kick championship and once made a 65-yard field goal in a Miami kicking competition.
Why the ESPN setting intensified the backlash
The setting matters because The Pat McAfee Show is a live ESPN program. ESPN’s official listing describes it as a weekday program in which McAfee and his cast discuss major sports stories and interview prominent figures.
Some social-media users questioned whether behavior that appeared to involve smoking was appropriate during a network broadcast. Other viewers argued that McAfee’s show has long operated with a looser tone than traditional sports studio programs, reflecting his history of informal, personality-driven sports commentary.
The disagreement has also exposed differing expectations about what viewers consider acceptable on a major sports network when a personality’s brand is built on informality. McAfee’s program has maintained that unconventional identity since joining ESPN’s lineup.
McAfee’s media profile adds context
McAfee’s unconventional presentation predates his ESPN career. After retiring from the NFL following the 2016 season, the former Colts punter moved deeper into sports media and eventually built The Pat McAfee Show into a major ESPN program.
His NFL career adds context to his media profile. McAfee spent eight seasons with Indianapolis, earned a Pro Bowl selection and an Associated Press All-Pro honor in 2014, and finished with 575 punts for 26,669 yards.
The ESPN show officially became part of the network’s lineup in September 2023. McAfee has since taken on broader football roles, including appearances connected to College GameDay and Monday Night Countdown, increasing his visibility across ESPN programming.
What is confirmed and what remains unclear
The confirmed sequence is limited but straightforward. McAfee was live on ESPN, appeared to place a lit object into an ashtray, smoke was visible afterward, the footage circulated widely, and McAfee later referenced “sage” without directly explaining the object.
The marijuana claim remains unconfirmed by the available footage and reporting. McAfee’s previous public comments about marijuana are documented, but those comments cannot establish what was in his hand during the Sept. 17 broadcast.
There has also been no publicly reported ESPN statement identifying the substance or announcing disciplinary action. For now, the controversy remains centered on an ambiguous live-TV moment, McAfee’s joking response, and the divided reaction that followed.
TL;DR
- A viral clip appeared to show Pat McAfee placing a lit object into an ashtray during his ESPN show.
- The footage does not confirm what the object contained or establish that McAfee was smoking marijuana.
- McAfee responded by writing, “Little sage never hurt nobody,” without directly identifying the substance.
- His previous public comments about marijuana helped fuel the interpretation of the clip.
- Social-media reactions were divided over the moment and ESPN’s handling of McAfee’s unconventional style.
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This article was made with AI assistance and human editing.
