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Former NFL kicker Pat McAfee delivered a powerful message on Saturday morning following the assassination of Charlie Kirk earlier in the week.
McAfee, 38, who was wearing a patriotic-themed jacket, delivered the message on the campus of Tennessee ahead of its big game against No. 6 Georgia.
« Getting a chance to be around this beautiful town for the last 24 hours has made me realize that it’s great to be a Tennessee Volunteer, » McAfee said to open ESPN’s « College GameDay. »
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Pat McAfee helps to kick off the Pro Football Hall of Fame Festival Fan Fest with a live broadcast outside the hall in Canton, Ohio, on July 31, 2025. (IMAGN)
« It’s not just a great day to be a Tennessee Volunteer, it’s also a great day to live in the greatest country on Earth, the United States of America, » McAfee said, which sparked « U-S-A » chants from a raucous crowd.
« And all week we’ve seen and heard maybe a lot more than we ever should about what separates us, what makes us different and our differing opinions. But on this beautiful campus on this glorious Saturday you’ll see 102,000-plus in the eighth-largest stadium in the world from different economic backgrounds, political backgrounds, religious backgrounds, you name it all, coming together for one thing: and that’s to kick Georgia’s a–. »
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Pat McAfee on the set of « College GameDay » before the game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Texas Longhorns at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Aug. 30, 2025. (Jason Mowry/Getty Images)
McAfee said that Saturday is about celebrating what makes this country great.
« A football locker room is the greatest place on earth, its stadium is as well. Today we celebrate what makes this country great, today we celebrate the greatest sport on earth: football, » McAfee said.
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Pat McAfee takes the stage at ESPN « College GameDay » ahead of the University of Oklahoma–Michigan college football game in Norman, Oklahoma, on Sept. 6, 2025. (IMAGN)
Rece Davis, one of the hosts of « College GameDay, » said that football « pulls everyone together, » which prompted McAfee to say it tries to.
« It tries to at least and I think that’s what we need to remember, especially on weeks like this. It’s great to be alive, it’s great to be a football fan, and Saturday always delivers in college football season, » McAfee said.
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