Saturday, September 19, 2026

Pat McAfee Accused of Smoking Pot During Show

Pat McAfee

Pat McAfee is facing scrutiny after a viral clip from Thursday’s live ESPN show appeared to show him smoking or handling a lit item, prompting former ESPN host Jason Whitlock to warn that the moment normalizes drug use for young viewers.

McAfee later posted that it was sage, writing, “Little sage never hurt nobody.” Whitlock rejected that framing. Responding to analyst Sean Salisbury’s defense of McAfee on X, Whitlock said: “I disagree, Sean. I care. And I used to smoke weed. But when you look at the damage drugs have done to American society, I think it’s wrong to normalize this behavior for young people.”


McAfee’s reach gives the criticism weight. His daily show draws about 575,000 viewers, he has nearly three million YouTube subscribers, and College GameDay reaches 2.7 million viewers with a large youth audience. Under a multi-year ESPN deal valued at more than $60 million annually, he keeps creative and editorial control while licensing the show to the network.

Meanwhile,  McAfee denied smoking marijuana on Thursday’s episode of his ESPN/YouTube show after viewers accused him of lighting a joint on air, saying the smoldering item in his hand was sage.



During the second hour, the 39-year-old former NFL punter stood at his microphone with what looked like a cigarette or joint in his left hand, then set the burning item on an ashtray in the casual style of old broadcast smokers such as Johnny Carson and Edward R. Murrow.


Clips spread quickly on social media, with fans alleging he was smoking pot live. McAfee has previously said on the All the Smoke podcast that he smokes “a lot of weed.” 

On X, he downplayed the moment: “Little sage never hurt nobody.”When a follower wrote, “The ones who watch the progrum know it's either sage or cbd,” McAfee replied, “THANK YOU,” and traded a few jokes with viewers.

Hemp-derived CBD is legal in Indiana, where McAfee produces the show. Recreational marijuana is not.
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