Editor's note: This story touches on sensitive topics, including death threats and graphic language.
Pat McAfee is speaking out for the first time since his comments about his safety went viral regarding the "College GameDay" visit to the University of Utah on Saturday, Oct. 24.
McAfee, one of the most famous and polarizing personalities in sports, spoke about his experience in Salt Lake City during the Monday, Oct. 26 episode of "The Pat McAfee Show." He said he was made to feel "uncomfortable" after the University of Utah posted a since-deleted video of students "dogging" him — as McAfee called it — calling him "corny" and "creepy" ahead of the episode.
Specifically, McAfee felt the fact the university shared a video — created by the Utah Student Experience and made in conjunction with the university's official account — was potentially inciteful against him.
McAfee also said the experience during "GameDay's" visit to the University of Utah brought to mind the September 2025 assassination of Charlie Kirk. He was killed during an event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, on Sept. 10, 2025, roughly 40 miles south of the University of Utah's campus in Salt Lake City.
Utah on Monday apologized for "creating any perception" that McAfee was "unsafe or unwelcome on our campus." It also noted that university officials have reached out to McAfee, who clarified his comments on Wednesday, Oct. 28, in a post on X.
The post also included screenshots from direct messages threatening violence against him and tweets expressing a desire to see him dead.
"I’ve stayed away from my mentions and DMs this month since these back to back days but ... I’m sure if I went in there now, I’d find some wishes for and threats of death for me," McAfee wrote. "'Don’t read them.' They’re everywhere."
Continued McAfee:
"I do get a bit (expletive) up when a couple days after The New York Times releases a 'WE ARE ALLOWED TO AND SHOULD HATE THIS GUY' piece, a university puts a video out from their own page, indicating, 'We think he’s a corny creep here.' It’s a weird time," McAfee wrote. "The things that get said about what my daughter and son and wife deserve are all rather wild as well."
McAfee also shared his experience ahead of "College GameDay's" trip to Knoxville, Tennessee, on Sept. 13, 2025 — the show's first episode after Kirk was killed. He said security concerns arose about a potential "copycat" scenario, as "GameDay" was "the next huge gathering on a campus." He claimed FBI snipers and a "huge" police presence were on hand to ensure the safety of "GameDay," adding that it was suggested to him to wear a bulletproof vest.
"The world, in front of the entire internet, just proved that we had gotten to a rather extreme place," McAfee wrote.
McAfee said his past experience also contributed to his comments and feelings about his experience at Utah.
"How’d we get here? I had to wrestle with that a bit," he wrote. "FBI’s sending snipers so me and the lads don’t get shot. That’s crazy. I don’t know if they teach how you’re supposed to handle these types of things in classes or something but, I was a bit rattled by the current reality of my world."
McAfee, a former Indianapolis Colts punter, created "The Pat McAfee Show" after retiring from the NFL in 2016, with the show turning into one of the most popular sports show in the country. He joined "GameDay" as a full-time analyst in 2022.
"I was created on the internet. I’ve been 'cooked' and (expletive)-talked and criticized since I have memories," McAfee said. "I am no where near perfect ... and there’s no way everybody is gonna agree with me but I had no idea that this is just what life would become.
"I’m trying my best in real time but ... I am to talk about sports and care about the future of sports. I owe everything to sports. I’m grateful as hell to do what I do. I literally try to love every minute of the incredible opportunities I get to experience but ... it’s certainly all a much different life than I could’ve ever expected."
"College GameDay" will be in Bloomington, Indiana, in Week 9 for Indiana vs. Minnesota.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Pat McAfee shares horrific threats amid 'College GameDay' controversy: 'They're everywhere'
