Pat McAfee has been highly critical of the Indianapolis Colts this season, and that hit a boiling point on Sunday when “everything went.. just like I f–king said it would,” the ESPN host wrote in a furious X tirade.
After watching their playoff hopes collapse in a 45-33 loss to the 2-13 Giants at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, the ex-Indianapolis punter and sports media star let his former team have it — as he has all season.
“Current players, who have won nothing during their entire tenures, started using me and my face to try and paint me as the enemy in the city I’ve committed my life to,” McAfee said. “In the biggest moments, everybody with a brain knew they’d crack.. and they did.”
The Colts were 7.5-point favorites going into Sunday’s game before allowing rookie receiver Malik Nabers to go nuclear for 171 yards and two touchdowns as the Giants earned their first win since Oct. 6.
McAfee has also been extremely critical of the Colts and second-year quarterback Anthony Richardson, who infamously pulled himself out of a game against the Texans for one play and later told reporters that it was because he was tired.
McAfee, 37, has said for most of the season that this Colts team wasn’t too fond of him.
“I can admit that this current Colts team doesn’t like me,” McAfee said on X on Nov. 24. “Anthony Richardson looked more dialed in last week and he’s a special talent.”
He and star linebacker Zaire Franklin have had a back-and-forth for most of the season as players clapped back at what they viewed as unfair criticism of Richardson for sitting out a play.
Richardson did not play Sunday due to injury, while backup quarterback Joe Flacco started and threw for 330 yards and two touchdowns in the shocking loss.
“A blind person could see the red flags on this team,’ McAfee said “Work ethic questions, NEVER happens on good teams.. Preparation commitment questions, NEVER happens on good teams.. Late to meetings, NEVER happens on good teams.. Late to/skipping treatment, NEVER happens on good teams.. The franchise QB tapped out of a game.. on 3rd down.. in the red zone.. because he was tired… NEVER HAPPENED in the history of the NFL.
“When I said Joe Flacco gives us a better chance to win than AR immediately after the tap out.. I would’ve said whatever backup QB we had on the roster. That can’t be what the face of your team is doing.. just can’t be.. and to a bigger aspect of it all, somehow AR thought it was ok to do that. That’s a locker room issue.. that’s a culture issue.. thats an indicator of a loser atтιтude radiating thru a building that was built by greats.”
McAfee, whose eponymous show has long been hosted just minutes away from Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, then added that he would not be returning as a season-ticket holder for the team.
“As a multiple year season ticket holder (not renewing).. and someone who has actively, daily, attempted to be an additive to this beautiful city. I hope they become a good franchise again.. this city deserves it.. the OGs in the Colts building deserve it (equipment managers, trainers, ticketing, PR, sales).. and on the flip side the players/coaches in that building deserve whatever happens to them,” McAfee wrote.
“Your unwarranted arrogance, laziness, and lack of professionalism has lead (sic) you to ANOTHER early vacation… which is probably what most of you enтιтled bums have been hoping for.”
The fan frustration and middling results has put head coach Shane Steichen on the H๏τ seat in his second season.
He is 16-17 in his career and now has missed the playoffs both seasons.
McAfee spent all eight seasons of his career with the Colts from 2009-2016, retiring to pursue a media career that started at Barstool Sports.
As a punter, he never missed a game, made the Pro Bowl twice and earned one All-Pro nod
McAfee was apart of several great Colts teams, including two with Peyton Manning and then with Andrew Luck.
