(LOOTPRESS) – Former West Virginia University football standout and ESPN personality Pat McAfee is speaking out about concerns for his personal safety following a recent College GameDay appearance at the University of Utah, as a new report indicates that the FBI previously advised him to wear a bulletproof vest.
According to an October 27 report from Front Office Sports, the FBI advised McAfee to wear a bulletproof vest in September 2025, during the week following the assassination of conservative political activist Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University.
The report, citing a source familiar with the situation, stated that McAfee regularly receives threatening messages, including death threats. The FBI has not publicly confirmed the reported recommendation.
McAfee, a former WVU kicker and punter who later played for the Indianapolis Colts, currently hosts The Pat McAfee Show and serves as a commentator on ESPN’s College GameDay.
The discussion surrounding McAfee’s safety began following the October 24 broadcast of College GameDay from the University of Utah in Salt Lake City.
Before the broadcast, the university’s official social media account shared a video featuring students giving their impressions of McAfee. Some students described him as “corny” and “creepy” while commenting on his energetic broadcasting style and habit of removing his shirt during appearances.
McAfee addressed the video during his show on Monday, October 26, explaining that he was uncomfortable with the university using its official social media account to share negative comments about him shortly before he appeared in front of thousands of people.
He explained that he would not have objected to students independently posting their opinions but questioned the university’s decision to share the video through its official account.
During his remarks, McAfee referenced the September 2025 assassination of Charlie Kirk, which occurred at Utah Valley University.
“And I thought to myself, has anything like really scary happened at like a college gathering in the state of Utah recently?” McAfee said. “Like, do we think we should be amplifying reasons for why people hate my guts as a university? I don’t know.”
McAfee’s comments drew national attention and prompted additional discussion about the safety of television personalities appearing at large public gatherings.
The subsequent Front Office Sports report provided additional context about the security concerns McAfee has reportedly faced, including the FBI’s recommendation that he wear protective equipment.
ESPN issued a statement supporting McAfee and emphasizing the importance of protecting its employees.
“The safety and security of our on-air team, crew and fans is paramount at College GameDay,” an ESPN spokeswoman said. “We are committed to ensuring a safe environment, and given the very real threats that members of our team face, we take issues involving their safety seriously. We support Pat and recognize the very real and valid concerns he has around safety and security.”
The University of Utah also issued an apology and removed the video from its social media accounts.
“Our goal during the visit was to create light-hearted engagement regarding Pat being back on campus, but we missed the mark,” the university said.
University officials acknowledged responsibility for publishing the video and said McAfee and the College GameDay crew remain welcome on campus.
It remains unclear whether McAfee followed the FBI’s reported recommendation to wear a bulletproof vest or whether the recommendation was connected to a specific threat against him.
McAfee has maintained strong ties to West Virginia since his playing days with the Mountaineers.
He played football at WVU from 2005 through 2008 before being selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the 2009 NFL Draft. Following his retirement from professional football, he became one of the most recognizable personalities in sports broadcasting.
McAfee has continued to publicly support WVU and the Mountaineers throughout his broadcasting career.
He remains a regular member of ESPN’s College GameDay, which travels to college campuses across the country during the football season.
