Pat McAfee’s ESPN return date confirmed after his show was bumped in major broadcast change to make way for US Open

ESPN star Pat McAfee will return to ESPN on September 5.

The popular personality’s show was bumped onto ESPN2 as the network placed its US Open coverage front and center.

Pat McAfee Show

Rex

But McAfee will be back in his usual midday ESPN slot once the Open wraps up.

The 2024 US Open at Flushing Meadows in New York City started on Monday.

ESPN is covering the whole tournament, which ends on September 7.

The Pat McAfee Show also took a one-day break on Wednesday.

McAfee, 37, has just been to Ireland to appear on a special episode of College GameDay .

The show aired from Dublin, where the 2024 college football season kicked off with a matchup between Georgia Tech and Florida State.

The Yellow Jackets upset the Seminoles, taking a 24-21 win.

McAfee had lots of fun in the Irish capital.

Before Saturday’s game, the ex- NFL kicker downed pints of Guinness live on The Pat McAfee Show.

“I powered right through those and made those things disappear,” the ESPN star said the following day on College GameDay.

“That’s what you gotta do whenever you’re in Ireland amongst these great people.”

McAfee enters his third year on College GameDay.

And host Rece Davis loves the energy he brought to the show.

“I don’t think we were sitting up there without any energy, but McAfee energy is a different thing,” Davis told The U.S. Sun in Dublin.

Pat McAfee's playing days

Pat McAfee enjoyed a hugely successful stint before switching to a career in the media.

The talk show star played punter in the NFL for eight seasons from 2009 to 2016.

He was a seventh round NFL Draft pick in 2009 out of West Virginia and spent his entire career with the Indianapolis Colts.

The ex-punter was named to the Pro Bowl in 2014 and 2016, and he was a first team All-Pro in 2014, as well.

McAfee owns the unique NFL record of the highest career net average punting yards with 41.4 yards while his longest ever punt was 74.

“It’s been sensational, he has worked really, really hard because in his first year, he came in and said, ‘I’ve got to learn this stuff.’

“He has worked his rear end off to make sure that he knows the college game inside out.

“And he’s so smart that it didn’t take long. He’s learned it very quickly, he’s been terrific.”

McAfee is an “amazing teammate,” Davis added.

“And he doesn’t have to be because he’s built an empire that is remarkable from a business standpoint and a sports broadcasting standpoint.

“But he has just been a sensational teammate, he has a connection with people and the crowd that frankly, I don’t think I’ve seen anyone in my 30 years at ESPN quite connect with the crowd the way he does.

“I’m really appreciative of the way he came in and wanted to be part of the team.

“He’s been offering suggestions and they’ve been welcomed and encouraged, but he didn’t come in and say, ‘I need to make this show the image of my show.’

“He came in with ideas of how to make things better but he wanted to be part of it and was very respectful of the College Gameday brand and that’s made him a sensational teammate.”