WWE Icon Stone Cold Praises 'Epic Performer' Pat McAfee: 'I Think He's Amazing'

Pat McAfee's future in WWE has been up in the air for awhile, but the former NFL punter has a big fan in one of professional wrestling's biggest icons.

Speaking to TMZ Sports (starts at 3:45 mark), Stone Cold Steve Austin called McAfee an "epic performer" who has "a natural feel for the business."

Austin and McAfee had an interaction at WrestleMania 38 when the Texas Rattlesnake gave him a Stone Cold Stunner during their celebration after an altercation with Vince McMahon.

The two-time Pro Bowler defeated Austin Theory earlier before being taken down in an impromptu bout with McMahon prior to his celebration with Austin.

McAfee became a fairly regular presence on WWE television starting in 2018 as a pre-show analyst for NXT Takeover events. He got involved in a storyline with former NXT champion Adam Cole in 2020, highlighted by a singles match between the two at NXT Takeover XXX.

WWE named McAfee the regular color commentator for SmackDown in April 2021. He stayed in the role until last fall when he took a hiatus to work on ESPN's College Gameday.

After a brief return in January at the Royal Rumble, McAfee again stepped away with Wade Barrett taking his role with Michael Cole in the commentary booth on SmackDown.

While there hasn't been any official update on where things stand with McAfee and WWE, he tweeted in March he still has "MASSIVE plans" for his journey to the WWE Hall of Fame.

A lot has been happening for McAfee since he stepped away from WWE full-time. His wife, Samantha, gave birth to the couple's first child on May 4. He signed a deal to bring his daily talk show to ESPN and expand his role in the network's college football coverage.

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