Home · Sports · Oct 27 archive
FBI Advises McAfee to Wear Bulletproof Vest After Kirk Shooting
· Confirmed
In Short: Front Office Sports and OutKick reported that McAfee was advised to wear a bulletproof vest after the shooting.
Front Office Sports and OutKick reported that McAfee was advised to wear a bulletproof vest after the shooting.
McAfee, known for his brash character and controversial topics on ESPN, is a frequent target of online harassment.
The FBI's advice came in the wake of McAfee's appearance on 'College GameDay' at the University of Utah, where he felt uncomfortable due to a video posted by the university.
ESPN released a statement supporting McAfee and acknowledging his safety concerns.
The university apologized for the video, which McAfee felt missed the mark and made him feel unsafe.
McAfee cited the Charlie Kirk assassination as a reason for his unease during his appearance at the University of Utah.
He has received threatening messages, including death threats, on a regular basis, sources say.
McAfee's comments on his show highlighted the tension between lighthearted engagement and the potential for hostility towards public figures.
The university and ESPN both expressed support for McAfee, emphasizing the importance of safety and security.
The university issued a public apology, stating that McAfee and the ESPN crew are always welcome on campus.
Background
The FBI advised Pat McAfee to wear a bulletproof vest after the assassination of Charlie Kirk last September, according to reports from Front Office Sports and OutKick.
What's confirmed
- Following up on Tuesday’s news cycle, a report from Front Office Sports added a new level of seriousness to McAfee’s assertions.
- While not unusual for a public figure in 2026, McAfee’s brash character on ESPN and the occasionally charged topics he broaches on air make him a prominent online target.
- Per FOS, following Kirk’s death last September, the FBI advised McAfee to wear a bulletproof vest.
- The FBI recommended McAfee to do so the week after the September 2025 killing of the right-wing political activist, a source told Front Office Sports in a report published Tuesday.
- The news comes as the latest development in a busy cycle involving the popular sports talk host, which began after a toned-down performance by McAfee during Saturday’s “College GameDay” show at the University of Utah.
- The former Colts punter dedicated time on his eponymous talk show on Monday to call out the treatment, saying that he “never felt more uncomfortable” than he did during Saturday’s “GameDay.” He also made several allusions to the slaying of Kirk, who was assassinated during an event at Utah Valley University a little more than a year ago.
- The video, which has since surfaced on other social media platforms, includes Utah students criticizing McAfee before his scheduled live remote broadcast from Salt Lake City, where the sixth-ranked Utes beat visiting Houston, 21-13, on Saturday night. 'One kid goes, "Ah, he's corny,"' McAfee said of the Instagram video. 'Another kid calls me "creepy."' McAfee claimed he wasn't upset about the criticism, but rather the fact that it was being posted on a school social media account. 'The University puts that out, like as I'm about to go out and do an infomercial for the place, and then I'm walking in front of thousands of these people,' he said. 'This is how the University feels about it.
- Front Office Sports reported that the FBI gave McAfee the advice during the week Kirk was killed at Utah Valley University.
- “The safety and security of our on-air team, crew and fans is paramount at ‘College GameDay,’” the statement read.
- ESPN ’s Pat McAfee went on a mini rant on his “Pat McAfee Show” on Monday about the uncomfortable experience he had at the University of Utah over the weekend while on assignment with “College GameDay.” “You know why I didn’t like it mostly?” McAfee said.
What's still developing
- "It's uncomfortable to say it, but it's true."
- "Yo ho, yo ho, the pirate’s life for me."
- (IMAGN) McAfee did not respond to a text message from OutKick seeking comment on the FBI’s advice by the time of publication.
- McAfee, arguably the biggest star in sports media, is frequently the target of hysteria and false accusations from internet users, especially after his interview with President Trump on ESPN earlier this year.
- If you sign up or place a wager, FOX News may be compensated.
- “I’ll hopefully never go to that place (again),” McAfee said.
- Published: 19:03 EDT, 27 October 2026 | Updated: 19:03 EDT, 27 October 2026 Pat McAfee was urged to wear a bulletproof vest by the FBI in the days after Charlie Kirk's assassination, a report has claimed.
- He errantly predicted that Houston would upset the Utes, only to later admit coach Morgan Scalley's team is, in fact, 'good.' He also bickered with one of the contestants in his weekly kicking contest who sneered at the $1 million prize. 'Actually, how about $20,' McAfee told the woman, who went on to miss her kick.
- He called out students for 'talking trash' and calling him 'corny,' while alluding to Kirk's murder 45 miles away at Utah Valley University.
- A school spokesperson has since issued a public apology to McAfee and the ESPN crew. 'The University of Utah is grateful to have had the chance to welcome Pat McAfee and the entire ESPN College GameDay crew to campus,' read the school statement. 'ESPN College Game Day has visited our campus seven times and we have always enjoyed a terrific relationship and positive experiences with the entire crew. 'Our goal during the visit was to create lighthearted engagement regarding Pat being back on campus, but we missed the mark.
- McAfee, who frequently receives threatening messages about himself and his family on social media and often exposes trolls on his accounts, is often in front of huge crowds on college campuses across America on College GameDay.
- "Oh my God, how many people are watching?"