Not Everyone Is Happy With MNF Pairing SAS, McAfee

ESPN put Stephen A. Smith and Pat McAfee on the same Monday Night Countdown desk Monday before the New York Giants–Los Angeles Rams game at SoFi Stadium, drawing immediate backlash from viewers who say the two stars already dominate the network. 

McAfee is a full-time member of the pregame show this season. Smith was a guest, not a regular on that desk. The pairing hit a nerve because both men are among ESPN’s most expensive and most visible personalities. 

Smith signed a five-year deal reported at about $100 million. McAfee’s existing ESPN arrangement has been valued near $85 million over five years, with talks of a much larger extension; some coverage has framed their combined ESPN commitments in the $80 million–$86 million range cited by critics of the network’s star spending. Fans have long complained they cannot escape either face across First Take, The Pat McAfee Show, College GameDay and NFL studio shows. 

The Daily Mail U-S reports on X, that complaint became the story of the pregame. “Best way to ruin the pre-game show is to not only put Pat Mcafee on, but then add Stephen A. Smith,” one user wrote. 

Another asked, “WHO IS ASKING FOR MCAFEE AND STEPHEN A ON MONDAY NIGHT COUNTDOWN? I NEED NAMES!!!” 

A third said mute was “not enough to silence these two loudmouths.” A Giants fan said McAfee’s full-time Countdown role was already “absolute overkill” and that adding Smith was “for absolutely no credible reason,” adding they would switch to WFAN’s Giants pregame instead.