One of the most surprising stories of the offseason was revealed late on Wednesday night.
Pat McAfee announced that he is retiring from the NFL to join emerging sports media company Barstool Sports.
The news was announced on Barstool Sports’ show on Comedy Central.
Breaking News: Pro Bowl Punter @PatMcAfeeShow has retired from the NFL to join @BarstoolSports Welcome aboard Pat! pic.twitter.com/E6kPt45TDi
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) February 2, 2017
The former Indianapolis Colts punter also shared this note on Twitter:
Dear Indiana, pic.twitter.com/FJISS001J3
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) February 2, 2017
McAfee, 29, had knee surgery last offseason and skipped the Pro Bowl this year because he needed another knee operation. That marked his third surgery in the last four years, which clearly weighed on his decision to quit football.
“Never leaving Indiana, but I’m going to be a Barstool guy forever,” McAfee said on the ‘Barstool Rundown’ from the Super Bowl. “My life has been littered with horrible decisions. This is at the top of the list. Can’t wait to get started!”
McAfee’s retirement leaves the Colts in a tough spot as they now need to replace the two-time Pro Bowl punter. McAfee was a 2014 first-team All-Pro punter. He has become known for his social media humor, as seen here.
He should be a natural fit at Barstool Sports, which has made major forays into TV, podcasting, and radio since investor and media mogul Peter Chernin purchased a majority stake in the company last year.
