Will Pat McAfee Return to WWE? Star Sounds Off in Trending Video amid Rumors

Pat McAfee suggested Sunday that he has no plans to return to his role as a WWE commentator in the near future.

While answering questions on his Instagram Stories, McAfee didn't close the door on going back to WWE eventually, but it didn't sound as though it as an immediate priority for him:

"I don't think you ever say never, especially with the WWE, but right now it does not feel like something that is supposed to happen," McAfee said. "It feels like that business has kind of passed me by a little bit."

McAfee added that he loves pro wrestling and has been honored to work with WWE, and he concluded by saying, "I feel like the biz is in a good spot without me."

The 38-year-old McAfee began making appearances for WWE as part of the NXT pre-show panel in 2018, and he parlayed that into wrestling a couple of matches for WWE's developmental brand.

McAfee then became the lead color commentator alongside Michael Cole on SmackDown in 2021, and over the next few years he was in and out due to his duties with ESPN as part of the College GameDay crew.

In January 2025, McAfee returned as the color commentator of Raw next to Cole, but he stepped away in June, citing the "mental exhaustion" of juggling WWE and his other duties.

Along with WWE and College GameDay, McAfee has a hugely successful, daily talk show called the Pat McAfee Show that airs on ESPN.

The former Indianapolis Colts punter is one of the biggest and most popular names in sports media, meaning he is constantly booked and busy.

While it can be argued that WWE benefits from McAfee's star power when he is around, the company is not lacking in terms of quality announcers.

Corey Graves has replaced McAfee as Cole's partner on Raw, while Joe Tessitore and Wade Barrett call the matches on SmackDown. Cole and Barrett have been the announce team for premium live events as of late.

McAfee could be throwing fans off the scent of a surprise return in the near future, but even if that is not in the works, it seems likely that the door will always be open for him in WWE.

He has enjoyed success in numerous roles, including as a commentator and a wrestler, and his versatility should ensure that WWE will always have a spot for him if and when he wants to re-enter the fold.