ESPN host Pat McAfee accused a network executive of attempting to sabotage his television show on Friday, calling him a rat for allegedly leaking false ratings to the press.
The former Indianapolis Colts punter claimed ESPN executive Norby Williamson is the only person in the network to have the information that got leaked. The accusation comes just days after McAfee came to the defense of NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers amid a feud between the sports star and TV host Jimmy Kimmel.
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“There are folks actively trying to sabotage us from within ESPN," McAfee told co-host A.J. Hawk. "More specifically, I believe Norby Williamson is the guy attempting to sabotage our program. [Williamson] is seemingly the only human that has information, and then somehow that information gets leaked and it's wrong, and then it sets a narrative of what our show is. And then are we just going to combat that from a rat every single time?”
Pat McAfee just called one of his ESPN bosses, Norby Williamson, a rat on air and said he was actively sabotaging the show. Get your popcorn! No doubt this is true, btw. Definitely some in ESPN attacking PM from inside: pic.twitter.com/TmztKuX4A5
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) January 5, 2024
McAfee said he and Williamson do not respect each other, and he accused the executive of trying to sabotage him in the past as an anonymous source for other stories.
"That guy left me in his office for 45 minutes and no-showed me in 2018, so this guy has had zero respect for me, and in return, same thing back to him for a long time," McAfee said.
The comments come after McAfee landed in hot water for defending Rodgers after the quarterback joked that he would be "popping some sort of bottle" if notorious sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein's flight list was released and that some people, including Kimmel, are hoping the list will not see the light of day.
Kimmel said online that he had never flown with Epstein and that Rodgers's comment endangered his family. The backlash over the joke also prompted McAfee to issue an apology.
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"So, we apologize for being a part of it,” McAfee said. “Can’t wait to hear what Aaron has to say about it. Hopefully, those two will just be able to settle this. Not courtwise, but be able to chitchat and move along.”
ESPN declined to provide comment to the Washington Examiner.