American Former NFL Player & Media Personality Pat McAfee Net Worth and Income Sources

The following is a breakdown of American Former NFL Player & Media Personality Pat McAfee’s net worth and primary income sources.

Pat McAfee is an American former NFL player and a media personality who has dabbled in sports analysis, professional wrestling color commentary and being a professional wrestler.

Over his decade-plus career, McAfee has partaken in various media forms. From traditional to digital, he has done it all and succeeded in all of them.

Hence, during this time, he has gathered a lot of fame and wealth for himself, and the people are curious to know how much the total exactly is.

According to reputable online sources, Pat McAfee net worth is around $25 million.

So how did Pat McAfee accumulate a massive fortune for herself in just over a decade? Let’s examine this American Former NFL player and a media personality’s estimated net worth and income.

Pat McAfee Net Worth: $25 million

Pat McAfee Income Sources

Pat McAfee’s income sources are summarized below:

  • Earnings From NFL Career ($15 million)
  • Earnings From Youtube ($2.28 million to $5.72 million)
  • Media Career/Appearances (Income Unknown)
  • WWE Salary $500,000 per Year ($2 million)

Income Source 1: Earnings From NFL Career

Before becoming a media sensation, Pat McAfee started his career in the world of the NFL. The Indianapolis Colts selected McAfee in the seventh round, 222nd overall, in the 2009 NFL Draft.

McAfee played professional football for 8 years, from 2009 to his retirement in 2016. Although McAfee never won the Superbowl, he went to the final in his rookie year.

His professional accomplishments in the NFL include appearing in two Pro Bowls and being named an All-Pro in 2014. McAfee had two contract cycles in his playing career; his rookie contract consisted of $1.2 million over three years.

His next contract is where he earned most of his NFL wealth, as his next contract was worth $14 million over the next five years. After his second contract cycle, McAfee chose to retire, taking his total NFL earnings to $15 million [1].

Pat Mcafee Net Worth : Pat McAfee Played For Indianapolis Colts for eight seasons 2009-2016. Credit: CBS Sports
Pat McAfee Played For Indianapolis Colts for eight seasons 2009-2016. Credit: CBS Sports

Income Source 2: Earnings From Youtube

After retiring from the NFL, McAfee joined Barstool sports in 2016, establishing the company’s “Heartland” division in Indianapolis and hosting The Pat McAfee Show on Sirius XM.

However, McAfee’s show’s most significant success came in 2017 when he launched his show’s Youtube Channel by, The Pat McAfee Show [2]. As of this writing, The Pat McAfee Show YouTube Channel has over 1.89 million subscribers and has generated a total of 1.144 billion views.

It is well documented that Youtube pays its content creators $2 to $5 per thousand views. Hence, using that calculation, we estimate Pat has earned between $2.28 million to $5.72 million from this source alone.

Youtube Account NameSubscribersTotal ViewsEst. Net Earnings
The Pat McAfee Show1.89 million1.144 billion$2.28 million to $5.72 million
Pat Mcafee Net Worth : Pat McAfee hosting The Pat McAfee Show. Credit: Youtube
Pat McAfee hosting The Pat McAfee Show. Credit: Youtube

Income Source 3: Media Career/Appearances

Since leaving Barstool Sports in 2018, Pat McAfee formed his own production company named Pat McAfee Inc. Through his business McAfee finalizes most of his business deals.

McAfee later appeared on various other media platforms as a Former NFL Player. He hosted sports shows for FOX Sports, ESPN, and DAZN and even tried Radio hosting.

All McAfee’s ventures were successful, but contract details are private. 

Pat Mcafee Net Worth : Pat McAfee hosting Thursday Night College Football for Fox Sports. Credit: Sportsbusinessjournal.com
Pat McAfee hosting Thursday Night College Football for Fox Sports. Credit: Sportsbusinessjournal.com

Income Source 4: WWE Salary

Pat McAfee’s final source of income for his net worth started in 2018 when he joined WWE. Since his childhood, McAfee was a wrestling fanatic and considered it his alternative career before forging ahead with football.

McAfee first appeared on WWE programming in 2018 as a pre-show analyst for the company’s NXT TakeOver events. A year later, this gig became a full-time color commentary job, and in 2020 he even made his professional wrestling debut.

McAfee’s WWE contract is estimated to be near $500,000 a year [3]. He won the Rookie of The Year award in 2020 and has become a huge fan favorite. He recently signed a multi-year extension [4] with the company, and his future here looks bright.

Pat Mcafee Net Worth : Pat McAfee performing color commentary on WWE programming Smackdown. Credit: WWE.com
Pat McAfee performing color commentary on WWE programming Smackdown. Credit: WWE.com

Pat McAfee Bio/Early Life

McAfee was born on May 2, 1987, in Plum, a Pittsburgh suburb, to Tim and Sally McAfee. He played soccer, volleyball, and football at Plum High School and received collegiate interest in all three.

Pat attended West Virginia college on a full-ride scholarship and Graduated in 2009. McAfee, since childhood, has been a wrestling fanatic and was able to live his childhood dream in 2018 when he signed on to work for WWE.

In his personal life, Pat McAfee is a private person. He married his long-time girlfriend, Samantha Ludy, in 2020. Pat is also an avid philanthropist [5] as, since 2016, he has been operating The Pat McAfee Foundation.

Career

Pat McAfee started his professional career in 2009 when the Indianapolis Colts picked him as the 222nd pick in the 2009 NFL draft. He played his whole career with the same team making the Superbowl final in his rookie year.

McAfee’s NFL career highlights include playing in the league for eight seasons, being named in the pro bowl twice, and All-Pro in 2014 for his playing position.

Pat retired from the NFL in 2016 after his second contract cycle ended. After retiring from the NFL, McAfee immediately ventured into the field of media working with Barstool Sports.

He worked with Barstool for two years and then, in 2018, left them to host shows for Fox Sports, ESPN, DAZN, and much more. However, his most significant success came when he hosted his most popular show, The Pat McAfee Show.

McAfee recently signed a $120 million contract with FanDuel [6], which has made him one of the highest-paid media personalities in the world. His net worth is expected to rise by 5x in the next 4-5 years.

Pat McAfee Accomplishments

Pat McAfee played in the NFL for 8 years. He is a successful sports analyst, and his Youtube channel has over 1.1 billion views.

Pat McAfee Controversy/Criticism

In 2010 Pat McAfee’s career was involved in a controversy when he was arrested for public intoxication [7].

Pat McAfee Biography

Legal NamePat McAfee
Net Worth$25 million
Source of WealthNFL, WWE, YouTube, Media Appearances
Date of BirthMay 2, 1987
Place of BirthPlum, Pennsylvania, USA
GenderMale
Height185 cm, 6 ft 01 inches
Weight106 kg, 233 lbs
ReligionChristianity
Marital StatusMarried
PartnerSamantha McAfee
ChildrenNA
Names of ChildrenNA
NationalityAmerican

Frequently Asked Questions About Pat McAfee

Which Team Did Pat McAfee Play For in the NFL?

Pat McAfee played for Indianapolis Colts for 8 seasons in the national football league, more commonly known as NFL. His professional football career lasted from 2009 to 2016.

When Did Pat McAfee Retire From the NFL?

Pat McAfee retired from the NFL in 2016. He attributed his decision to his recurring knee surgeries (three in the last four seasons).

Is Pat McAfee Married?

Yes, Pat McAfee married his long-time girlfriend, Samantha Ludy, on August 1, 2020, at Coxhall Gardens in Carmel, Indiana.

When Did Pat McAfee Start hosting The Pat McAfee Show?

Pat McAfee started hosting his show in 2016.

Is Pat McAfee Philanthropic?

He has donated more than $6.2 million in various charitable endeavors.

Why Did Pat McAfee Left Barstool Sports?

Pat McAfee left Barstool Sports in 2018, citing a lack of transparency in the company’s business operations as the reason for his departure.

Is Pat McAfee’s Brother Jason McAfee Famous?

Although Pat McAfee’s brother Jason McAfee is in a semi-successful band, he hasn’t so far achieved worldwide recognition. Hence, you cannot classify him as famous.

Who are Pat McAfee’s Parents?

Tim McAfee and Sally McAfee are Pat McAfee’s parents. 

When Did Pat McAfee WWE Career Start?

Pat McAfee WWE career started when Pat McAfee signed on to become a color commentator in 2018. However, his professional wrestling career began in 2020.

References

[1]. NFL Earnings

[2]. YouTube Channel

[3]. WWE Salary

[4]. WWE Contract Extension

[5]. Philanthropy

[6] Fanduel Deal

[7] Controversy


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Author
Shane
Our Editor-in-Cheif works as a strategist at a Fortune 500 financial institution. He brings depth into our content with 10+ years of experience in managing businesses and evaluating deals. He loves the combination of boring business concepts and interesting pop culture snippets. This site is run by a team from major financial hubs in New York, Hong Kong, and London. Find out more about us.

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