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4w ago

Pat McAfee Appears to Handle Lit Item on Live ESPN Broadcast

The clip has renewed questions about ESPN’s limited control over licensed shows and whether McAfee’s conduct normalizes drug use for younger viewers.

An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows A man in a suit jacket turns to the right with his mouth open, in a stadium full of people, Image 2 shows Five men sit at the ESPN College GameDay desk in front of a crowd and a large building with a dome, Image 3 shows A man with short blonde hair and a black shirt stands behind a desk with a microphone, a basketball, hats, and a figurine
Pat McAfee's openness about his marijuana use resurfaced after a video showed him seemingly smoking during his ESPN show.
An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows Portrait of an NFL analyst with gray hair and microphone headset, Image 2 shows Nick Saban and Kirk Herbstreit listen to Pete Golding during ESPN College GameDay, Image 3 shows Pat McAfee speaking with Nick Saban listening during ESPN's College GameDay broadcast

Overview

  • A short clip that circulated widely on social media showed Pat McAfee placing a lit or smouldering item into an ashtray during his live show, a moment viewers noticed on Thursday.
  • McAfee responded on X with the comment “Little sage never hurt nobody…” and neither he nor ESPN has issued a formal clarification about what the item was.
  • Reporters note the substance in the video has not been independently confirmed, so the footage shows burning but does not prove marijuana use.
  • The episode reopened a debate over McAfee’s editorial freedom because his program is owned and licensed by him to ESPN, a structure that gives him significant control and limits the network’s on-set authority.
  • Reactions split across sports media: some, including LeSean McCoy and Marcellus Wiley, defended McAfee’s influence and leverage, while critics such as Jason Whitlock warned the moment risks normalizing drug use for young viewers and could pressure ESPN to set firmer conduct rules.