If you liked Pat McAfee as the sidekick to Michael Cole on Monday Night Raw, we have some bad news for you.
McAfee provided a recent update which made it clear the sports pundit and entertainer doesn’t believe a return to the WWE commentary desk is in the plans for him right now. During an Instagram Q&A, McAfee pinned a return to a WWE gig as unlikely.
"It feels like that business has kind of passed me by a little bit … I feel like the biz is in a good spot without me."
Pat McAfee says he doesn't expect to return to his role as WWE commentator any time soon pic.twitter.com/dQrbaeEzaV
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) March 9, 2026
“I don’t think you ever say never, especially with WWE,” McAfee said. “But right now, it does not feel like it is something that’s supposed to happen. It feels like the business has kind of passed me by a little bit. Grew up loving it, dreamed to work in it, feel honored that I had the opportunity to work alongside the GOAT, Michael Cole. But, I feel like WWE is in a good spot without me, and I’ll continue to watch.”
38-year-old McAfee, who hosts ESPN’s Pat McAfee Show on weekdays, had an on-and-off commentary career with WWE from 2019 to 2025. He rejoined the commentary crew for Monday Night Raw last year as the show moved to Netflix and called both nights of Wrestlemania 41, but stopped appearing on the company’s broadcasts around June.
McAfee would later cite burnout as the reason for his departure from WWE commentary.
He returned in September to serve as part of the broadcast crew for Wrestlepalooza, WWE’s first Premium Live Event (PLE) since moving to ESPN, but hasn’t appeared on the broadcast of an event since then.
