Outside of Stephen A. Smith, former Indianapolis Colts punter Pat McAfee is arguably the 2020s’ most recognized and celebrated sports commentator.

McAfee might even have a leg up (pun not intended) with how successful his podcast has become, as well as his popularity among college football and wrestling fans.

Few have built the resume that McAfee has since his 2017 retirement. He’s become a mainstay on ESPN programming and almost single-handedly launched the idea of athletes having unfiltered podcasts upon retirement. 

Here’s a closer look at Pat McAfee’s career earnings and achievements:

Pat McAfee’s Net Worth and Career Earnings in the NFL

Celebrity Net Worth values McAfee’s net worth at roughly $80 million. He is reportedly negotiating with ESPN on an extension that would pay him at least $60 million per year.

McAfee previously walked away from a four-year, $30-million-per-year deal with FanDuel to sign a five-year contract to join ESPN in 2023, worth roughly $85 million.

According to Spotrac, McAfee earned just over $15 million during his time in the NFL. He signed a four-year contract worth $1.8 million upon being drafted in 2009. Indianapolis placed the franchise tag on him in March 2013 and paid him nearly $3 million that season.

He later inked a five-year, $14.5 million contract in 2014 and collected nearly $10 million over three years before his 2017 retirement.

Pat McAfee’s Notable Endorsements

“The Pat McAfee Show,” which has 3 million subscribers on YouTube alone, has numerous high-profile sponsors, including SeatGeek, Dude Wipes, and DraftKings. McAfee, along with Stephen A. Smith, also served as one of the primary faces of the now-defunct ESPN Bet app.

McAfee also appeared in the “Madden NFL” video game series from 2009 through 2016. It is unclear how much he would have received in yearly licensing fees. More recently, McAfee has been a playable character in “WWE 2K” games.

Unfortunately for McAfee, he would not have been paid for the “NCAA Football” series during his college career because laws prohibited student-athletes from profiting off their name, image, and likeness. That changed in 2024, when EA launched its modern “College Football” series.

Pat McAfee’s Career Achievements

An All-American punter at West Virginia, McAfee appeared destined to go undrafted after not being invited to the 2009 NFL Combine.

However, the Colts selected him in the seventh round, and he immediately replaced Hunter Smith as their starting punter. McAfee earned All-Rookie honors after averaging 44.3 yards per punt for the AFC champions.

The 2010 season marked a mild step back for McAfee statistically, with his average punt dropping two yards. More concerningly, he served a one-game suspension after an October arrest for public intoxication. McAfee apologized two weeks later, and he has since avoided any further legal issues. 

By the time the 2011 season kicked off, McAfee had established himself as one of the league’s top punters. He received Pro Bowl honors after the 2014 and 2016 seasons, and he often went viral for chasing down and tackling returners. Voters thought highly enough of McAfee to name him a first-team All-Pro in 2014.

McAfee retired following the 2016 season after multiple knee surgeries. He also cited issues with Colts general manager Ryan Grigson and notably tweeted, “Thank God,” when the latter was fired in January 2017.

Related: Jason and Kylie Kelce Net Worth: Contracts, Career Earnings, and Endorsements