WWE Has Signed NXT Panelist Pat McAfee To A Deal

Former Indianapolis Colts star punter Pat McAfee has become an integral part of NXT TakeOver specials as a kick-off show panelist, and a recent contract with WWE hints at a larger role for the impassioned commentator.

After helping beefing with Adam Cole and helping Aleister Black defeat the leader of the Undisputed Era in a match at a WWE NXT Live Event, Pat McAfee made his TakeOver debut one month later in New Orleans as a kick-off show panelist.

Though there have been some hiccups here and there, McAfee has been a great addition to NXT 
TakeOvers, contributing to the atmosphere by giving a fan’s perspective to the broadcast. Unlike others who have been given this role in WWE, McAfee seems legitimately fired up about all of the matches on the card, selling viewers watching the pre-show on the merits of the main card, talking up stars like Shayna Baszler and Johnny Gargano in the process.

Per McAfee himself, on the latest episode of “The Pat McAfee Show”, WWE offered him a multi-year contract to “make some content”.

Pro Wrestling Sheet added some more context to the type of content McAfee may be contributing to WWE in the near future, with Ryan Satin reporting that the former NFL player will help create digital content for the world’s largest wrestling promotion, in addition to continuing his role on NXT’s pre-show panels.

A huge wrestling fan, McAfee once did the Razor Ramon celebration in a game, the 31-year-old seems to fit exactly what Triple H and the backstage personnel want from a kick-off show panelist in NXT. McAfee isn’t afraid to be loud, and he offers a fresh, almost outsider’s perspective as a fan of the product.

We’ve seen NXT add more digital content, especially around TakeOvers, including experimenting with pre and post-show video content. Perhaps McAfee could help out with that, and his background as a former football player could come into play if NXT is interested in consistently producing post-show content for their taped episodes.

But McAfee, who has worked with Barstool Sports since retiring from the NFL in 2016, can add even more to WWE’s digital side, which appears to be expanding heading into 2019 with the likes of Byron Saxton focusing on more online content. McAfee could help expand the NXT brand, using his quirkiness and passion for wrestling to help WWE’s Third Brand, which could become more prominent as the FOX deal begins in full swing.