Pat McAfee has been noticeably absent from the WWE Raw commentary desk since Money in the Bank earlier this month, and now the outspoken former NFL punter has finally addressed why he’s been off the air.
During a recent episode of The Pat McAfee Show, McAfee shared that he’s been taking some much-needed time to recharge. After juggling multiple roles and his surprise in-ring return earlier this year, the fatigue started catching up with him.
“Continuing to just like kind of catch up on life as a whole, post Money In The Bank, pre-Night Of Champions feels like a good time,” McAfee explained. “I was getting pretty exhausted there. So shout out to everybody at the WWE looking out for me too. Very thankful.”
Since McAfee stepped away, WWE has leaned on some familiar faces to keep the commentary desk running smoothly. Wade Barrett filled in during McAfee’s first week out, and Corey Graves — typically seen on NXT or SmackDown — has joined Michael Cole for the last two episodes of Raw. It’s expected that Graves will continue in the role until McAfee is ready to return.
What remains uncertain is whether McAfee will be back for Night of Champions in Riyadh, or if fans will have to wait a bit longer to see him back behind the mic. WWE hasn’t made any official announcement regarding his return date.
Earlier this year, McAfee stepped back into the ring for a surprise one-on-one match at Backlash, taking on Intercontinental Champion GUNTHER in what was his first singles match in two years. Despite a hard-fought effort, McAfee was ultimately defeated, though he managed to survive nearly 15 grueling minutes with one of WWE’s most dominant forces.
With his trademark energy and fan-favorite commentary style, McAfee has become a standout part of WWE’s weekly programming. While it’s clear he needed the break, fans are undoubtedly eager to see when he’ll return to the announce table — or maybe even back inside the squared circle.
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