Kirk Herbstreit saw Dan Orlovsky trying to be singer-songwriter Pat McAfee’s biggest fan at ESPN and said, ‘Move over.’
Thursday night ensured that the sports-media-and-music crossover industry would never be the same when McAfee released his long-awaited Diary of a Polarizing Figure album. The former NFL punter-turned podcaster-turned broadcaster-turned face of ESPN now turning into a musical artist might not be what Pat McAfee Show fans wanted, but Herbstreit is here to note it might be what they needed.
“You really got some strong lyrics and sent some really good messages. … Can you maybe do some on GameDay?”@KirkHerbstreit wants to see @PatMcafeeshow perform his music on College GameDay this season
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— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) August 14, 2026
“What I loved is, hopefully people are going to be able to not just enjoy the music but really listen to the words,” Herbstreit said Friday afternoon on The Pat McAfee Show, “Because what I love is, there’s some really… I mean, we all listen to all these different albums, but I think what separates this, you got some great messaging out there. Like, you really got some strong lyrics and sent some really good messages, I thought, that I think we can all relate to and enjoy. I think it’s important to enjoy just the writing, really. That’s not easy, by the way.”
Basically, Herbstreit gets it. Like when much of America was confused by the underlying messaging and symbolism during Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl LIX halftime show, Herbstreit probably got it.
Herbstreit suggested McAfee should perform some of his songs on the show today. But the vibe wasn’t right, and who knows if the acoustics are right, so McAfee hesitated at the idea of performing from the Thunderdome. And with Herbstreit recognizing the underlying messaging that McAfee wants something bigger for his first performance, he suggested a bigger stage.
“Can you maybe do some on GameDay?” Herbstreit asked, and McAfee seemed to think it was a great idea.
A big stage and live college audience who is ready to erupt at every opportunity probably sounds perfect to McAfee. It might not be what ESPN’s viewing audience at home is rooting for, but maybe that’s only because they haven’t absorbed the lyrics the way Herbstreit has.
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